Criminal Charges and the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act

Having a criminal conviction on your record may cost you your job opportunities, education opportunities, and more. In Michigan, the legal system understands that teens and young adults make mistakes and that these mistakes shouldn’t destroy your future. If you are between the ages of 17 and 24 and have been charged with a crime, you may qualify to participate in the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act.

The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, more commonly known as HYTA, provides individuals between the ages of 17 and 24 with a second chance. Under the act, an individual charged with a crime may petition the court for “status” as a Youthful Trainee. The Holmes Youthful Trainee Act states: “If an individual pleads guilty to a criminal offense, committed on or after the individual’s seventeenth birthday but before his or her twenty-fourth birthday, the court of record having jurisdiction of the criminal offense may, without entering a judgment of conviction and with the consent of that individual, consider and assign that individual to the status of youthful trainee.”

If the criminal offense was committed between the ages of 21 and 24, the consent of the prosecutor is required.

If the court grants the individual status under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, he or she will be placed on a probationary term. If he or she successfully completes the probationary term, the criminal conviction will not be entered onto his or her record. The court will dismiss all charges and his or her criminal record will remain clean.

*Certain crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, imprisonment for life crimes, major controlled substance offenses, traffic offenses, and some sex crimes are not eligible for HYTA.

Due to the extreme advantages of HYTA, it is important to work with a criminal defense law firm that is familiar with and understands the importance of HYTA and your future. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys have had extreme success for clients when petitioning the court on our client’s behalf for status under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act.

If you or your loved one has been charged with a crime and would like to discuss the possibility of HYTA, contact our office today for a free consultation. Our experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorneys can provide you with advice on HYTA and how we actively fight to keep criminal charges off your or your loved one’s record.