Deferred Adjudication

Did you ever do something wrong when you were playing with your friends? Maybe you broke a toy or didn't share nicely. Well, sometimes grown-ups also do things that are not very nice and they have to go to court to figure out what should happen next.

Deferred adjudication means that the judge in the courtroom decides that the person who did the not-so-nice thing can have a second chance to make things right. They have to promise to follow some rules and do some things that will help them learn and grow from their mistake.

If they do what they promised, then they don't get in trouble with the court and their case is dismissed. It's like getting a do-over but only if you behave very well afterwards. But if they don't follow the rules, then the judge will decide what punishment they should have, and they won't be able to get a do-over.

So, deferred adjudication is like a second chance for people who make mistakes, but they have to promise to do better and follow some rules to make it happen.