Holmes Youthful Trainee Act Amended

June 15, 2015

Effective August 18, 2015, eligibility for sentencing under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA), §MCL 762.11 will be expanded. HYTA is a valuable sentencing tool which allows a youthful criminal defendant to plead guilty to a crime and still have the opportunity to maintain a clean criminal record. The new law extends the opportunity to receive HYTA to individuals who are not yet 24, while the current law cuts off eligibility at 21. However, if the individual is at least 21 years old at the time of the offense, the prosecutor must consent to the Defendant’s sentencing under HYTA.
Though there are additional amendments to the HYTA law, this is the most significant change. It provides young adults charged with criminal offenses an excellent opportunity to keep their records from prohibiting their educational and/or occupational advancement.