Becky Hughes, Pretrial Diversion Director
MCPO's Pretrial Diversion Program gives individuals an opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction or points on their driving record while still being held accountable for their actions. Successful completion of the Pretrial Diversion Program results in the dismissal of a defendant’s charges. Once charges are dismissed, the court will "expunge" the records meaning they are sealed for public purposes.
When applying for employment, school, certifications and licensing, or even credit, applicants are often asked about their criminal history and background checks are completed. The dismissal of charges means that if you are asked about whether or not you’ve ever been convicted of a criminal offense, you may honestly answer “no” to that question. If a background check is run, the case will likely not show at all, but if it does, the the court records will show that the defendant participated in the Pretrial Diversion Program and that charges were dismissed.
Indiana Code 33-39-1-8 controls when prosecution may be withheld and the decision to offer a diversion on a case-by-case basis is up to the assigned Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.
Diversions are not permitted in the following circumstances:
If the defendant is under 18 years old, diversions are not permitted for:
In deciding whether to offer a diversion, factors considered by the MCPO include:
At its most basic level, a Diversion is an agreement with the Prosecutor's Office and a Deferral is an agreement with the court.
Deferrals are often used in situations when the law precludes the use of a diversion such as for OWIs.
For a Deferral, the individual must plead guilty to the crime (or plead liable in the case of an infraction) and the court will withhold judgment for the duration of the deferral. After completing any terms required by the court, the case is dismissed. If any terms of the deferral are violated, in addition to any sanction the court may order, the conviction will enter and the individual will be found guilty, or liable, for the offense.
Pursuant to Indiana Code section 33-39-1-8, among other things, a diversion agreement may include conditions that a defendant:
Advent eLearning. The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office has contracted with Advent eLearning to provide additional services that can be required by a deputy prosecutor to be completed by a defendant during a diversion in the deputy prosecutor’s discretion. These courses include:
The length of a diversion is determined by the assigned Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. However, the length of the diversion may not exceed the maximum duration of a sentence that would otherwise be imposed. The standard lengths of diversions are:
Level 5 felony: 1-6 years
Level 6 felony: 6 months - 2.5 years.
Class A misdemeanor: 1 year.
Class B or C misdemeanor: 6 months.
Infractions: 6 months.
Pay a Diversion
If you have been approved for a diversion, you may complete payment:
1) online at one of the following links, or
2) by completing a money order or cashier's check made out to the applicable court and returned to the Madison County Prosecutor's Office.
We do not accept cash or personal checks.
When FULL payment is received in the Prosecutor's Office and processed, it will not be necessary for you to attend your next court hearing. You will be notified when the case is dismissed at the end of your contract period. If you would like a copy of the Pre-Trial Diversion contract and receipt returned to you, please submit a self-addressed envelope with a stamp.
To pay diversion fees in Anderson City Court or Elwood City Court visit the link below and search for your case by name or cause number. Once located, there is a "pay" option located at the bottom of the page which you may use to pay your diversion fees.
Waiver of Diversion Fees Request (Community Service Hours)
MCPO is committed to providing diversions in appropriate cases regardless of the applicant's ability to pay. MCPO offers a program where if the applicant is unable to pay diversion fees, those fees can be waived and community service hours accepted as payment instead. To apply for this program, you can complete the application included below and submit the application to our office through the Submit button below. You may also complete a copy of the application at our office.
Infraction Diversion
You are NOT eligible for an infraction diversion if:
(1) you were speeding in a school zone;
(2) you were speeding 30 mph or more over the posted speed limit;
(3) you have received an infraction diversion in the past year;
(4) you currently have a Commercial Driver's License (CDL);
OR
(5) you committed a work zone or school bus violation.
If your application is accepted, you will receive a diversion agreement which must be submitted to Diversion Director Becky Hughes by email: bhughes@madisoncounty.in.gov
Infraction Diversion Fees: In order to receive a diversion on an infraction, you must pay $192.50 toward Diversion Fees and Court Costs. You may also be required to complete certain programming targeted at the behavior for which you were charged.
Misdemeanor Diversion
Before applying to the Pretrial Diversion Program for a misdemeanor charge, you will need to attend your Initial Hearing. Some misdemeanor offenses may not qualify for diversion. If your application is accepted, you will receive a diversion agreement which must be submitted to Diversion Director Becky Hughes by email: bhughes@madisoncounty.in.gov. You will be placed on a diversion program for 6 months to 1 year depending on your charges.
Misdemeanor Diversion Fees: In order to receive a diversion on a misdemeanor, you must pay Diversion Fees and Court Costs. You may also be required to complete certain programming targeted toward the behavior for which your charges originated.
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