Courts sometimes order community service in lieu of, or in addition to, other forms of punishment for minor offenses. In some jurisdictions, an offender can request community service to avoid jail time. The volunteer work takes many forms, from delivering meals to the elderly to picking up trash on the side of highways. If you are unable to complete your term of community service by the court-imposed deadline, you may be able to request an extension of time from the court.
Community Service Assigned
When a court orders an offender to perform community service, he is provided with assignment details, the total number of hours that must be completed, and the date on which all hours must be finished. Typically, the offender must also pay a fee to complete the community service. Once signed up, the community service program monitors the offender's hours and forwards that information to the appropriate party, such as the court or the offender's probation officer.
Read More: What is Community Service?
Requesting Extension
If you fail to complete the required term of community service by the deadline, you have not complied with the court's order, but you may be able to request an extension. The procedure for doing so varies by jurisdiction but usually requires good reasons for not completely the service on time. In Santa Barbara, California, an offender requests an extension by providing the court with a status report of total hours completed and paying an extension fee. If the offender's probation officer ordered the community service, the request is made to the PO instead. In Anchorage, Alaska and Florida, offenders must request extensions from the court. If approved, the offender is given a new deadline to complete his community service and may have to pay additional fees.