Guide to Court Ordered Community Service

Mistakes are a normal part of life and an important part of learning, however, some mistakes have serious consequences. If your mistake was breaking the law you may now be faced with court ordered community service. For many people court ordered community service is seen as a punishment, however, it is actually an opportunity to both learn from your mistakes and to contribute to society. It can also be a valuable opportunity to learn about yourself and to learn new skills which can be applied to future work opportunities.

What Is Court Ordered Community Service?

Court ordered community service is a punishment ordered by a judge that has reviewed your case. It is intended to make people who break the law pay back society. Community service is a common punishment for people who have been convicted of theft, driving under the influence and drug use. The amount of community service that is assigned to the person depends on the severity of the offense, the person's past criminal record and the type of offense that the person was convicted of.

Fulfilling Your Community Service

When you are given a court order to complete community service you are responsible for following through. The court will give you paperwork that describes what your offense was, how much community service is required, what fees you have to pay the court and what documentation is required. It is important that you read through your community service paperwork and if you have any questions that you talk with your case manager.