Which statement about deferred disposition is true?

• A. Deferred disposition requires a jury trial.
• B. Deferred disposition guarantees no conviction ever.
• C. Deferred disposition prohibits DPS reporting in all cases.
• D. Deferred disposition results in dismissal if terms are completed; otherwise a final judgment of guilt may be entered.

Answer: (D)

Deferred disposition is a process where the court postpones the final judgment and sentence and places the defendant on specific terms or conditions. If those terms are completed successfully, the case is dismissed and no final judgment of guilt is entered. If the terms aren’t met, the court can then enter a final judgment of guilt and impose punishment. This dual outcome—dismissal upon successful completion versus potential guilt if terms aren’t completed—captures why that statement is true.

The other ideas don’t fit as well. It doesn’t inherently require a jury trial; many deferred dispositions are handled by a judge without a jury. It also doesn’t guarantee no conviction ever—the avoidance of a conviction hinges on meeting the conditions, with a possible final judgment of guilt if they aren’t. And it isn’t guaranteed to prohibit reporting by DPS in all cases, since reporting rules can vary and information may still appear in records even when a dismissal results from completing the terms.