How Does the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) Work?

If you intend to seek HYTA as a young adult you must entry a guilty plea to the offenses you are charged with. HYTA may be requested more than once and applied to multiple crimes for eligible defendants. If the court accepts you into youthful trainee status, the conviction will not be entered and the court and Michigan State Police records will become non-public. 

The Michigan Supreme Court has said that HYTA should be applied liberally but the defendant must still demonstrate to the judge that they are a good candidate.  Support letters from friends and family and community service can be good ways to show that you are working on your behavior and deserve a second chance. Most often, youthful trainees are assigned to a period of probation, fines, and restitution to victims. A defendant that receives HYTA may still be incarcerated but it is rare. If you are incarcerated, you may still be eligible for work release programs.

Different conditions both in court and during probation may be applied to defendants due to differences in age. If the defendant is over the age of 21, prosecution must consent to admit the defendant into youthful trainee status. Defendants over the age of 21 may also be subjected to electronic monitoring during their probationary period.  All defendants will be asked to maintain employment or schooling during their probationary period.

Violation of any of the rules or conditions of your probation may result in the revocation of your HYTA status. Any violation will result in a hearing to determine if you are allowed to remain a youthful trainee. While judges do not like to remove HYTA, there may be additional conditions imposed in order for you to remain in the program. Upon completion of the probationary period and any other terms or conditions set by the court, your case will be dismissed and your record will be sealed by both the court and the Michigan State Police.  You will not need to disclose information about the crime to a future employer, school, or landlord unless asked specifically about dismissed court cases.



My Michigan Legal, PLLC Can Help

Being charged with a crime as a young adult can be scary. Criminal convictions can have severe and lasting consequences on employment, housing, and education. My Michigan Legal attorneys have years of experience helping young adults qualify for HTYA. Contact us today to talk about your eligibility under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act.