A Michigan Order Following Probation Violation Hearing is a court hearing that is held if a person on probation has violated the terms of their probation agreement. This type of hearing is used to determine if the probation violation warrants additional court-imposed penalties, such as jail time or additional probation conditions. Depending on the severity of the violation, the judge may choose to revoke probation and order the defendant to serve the remainder of their sentence in jail or prison. There are four types of Michigan Order Following Probation Violation Hearings: Preliminary Hearing, Violation Hearing, Dispositional Hearing, and Post-Dispositional Hearing. A Preliminary Hearing is the first step in the probation violation hearing process. During this hearing, the judge will decide whether there is probable cause to believe that the person on probation has violated the terms of their probation agreement. If the judge finds that there is probable cause, the case will continue to a Violation Hearing. At a Violation Hearing, the judge will hear evidence presented by both the prosecutor and the person on probation in order to determine if the probation violation has occurred. If the judge finds that the probation violation has occurred, the case will move to the Dispositional Hearing. At a Dispositional Hearing, the judge will consider factors such as the severity of the violation, the person’s prior criminal record, and the person’s behavior since the probation violation occurred. The judge will then decide what sanctions, if any, should be imposed on the person. A Post-Dispositional Hearing is the final step in the probation violation hearing process. During this hearing, the judge will consider the defendant’s compliance with the sanctions imposed by the court and decide if any changes should be made to the initial decision.