Some courts allow defense counsel and the prosecutor to negotiate Stipulated Orders of Continuance commonly referred to as “SOC’s.” An SOC is an agreement by which the prosecutor agrees to continue the case against you for a specified period of time ranging from 6 months to 5 years. At the end of the specified period the charge will be either dismissed or reduced if you have committed no new criminal violations, no violations of the SOC that result in revocation, and you have complied with all conditions of your sentence, including payment of the financial obligations outlined by the court at the time the SOC is entered. In return, you give up your right to a jury trial and agree that in the event the SOC is revoked due to any new criminal law violations or violations of conditions set by the court, the court will proceed to decide your case based on the facts in the police report without a jury trial. The availability of an SOC in your case will depend on the court in which your case is heard, the offense you have been charged with, and other factors including your criminal history.