Legal Question in Criminal Law in Maryland

It depends on the situation, whether it's diversion, because the State agrees the case is weak, because the Defendant is a first offender and will do community service, etc.

If you are placed on the "stet" docket, it means that as long as you comply with certain terms (drug/alcohol rehab, stay out of trouble, etc.), your case will never technically go to trial. If your case never technically goes to trial, you have not been convicted of a crime and therefore cannot be "sentenced" to anything. If you do not comply with the terms of the stet, the prosecutor may proceed forward with the original case, bring the matter to trial, and if convicted, you will thereafter be sentenced.

Someone would want to be placed on the stet docket to avoid going to trial and facing jail time and/or fines related to the crimes. Typically the terms of the stet and less severe than going to jail. If your crime is stet, it also means you have not technically been "convicted" of that crime, so you don't have to reveal it on a job application.

Best of luck.******The above is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney-client privilege.*******