Can I get off of federal probation early?

Possibly. You can ask for early release from federal probation from the judge who originally sentenced you.

    For a misdemeanor conviction or an infraction, you can file a petition and ask the judge to terminate your federal probation at any time.
    For a felony conviction, you can file a petition and ask the judge to terminate your federal probation after one year.[901] Talk to your U.S. Probation Officer about this request first, because he or she can help you ask the judge for this.

The court has the power to decide whether or not to let you off probation early. In most cases, judges will deny requests to be let off probation early. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try, especially if you’ve done really well on your probation. And remember, it is really helpful if your Probation Officer supports your request.

You have the best shot of being let off of federal probation EARLY if:

    You have completed 2/3 of your probation term (or at the very least, you are ½ way through),
    You have had no violations,
    You have complied with all the terms of your probation,
    You have paid all restitution and fines, and
    Your probation officer agrees that you should be let off early[902]
What factors might the judge consider in my request?

It depends on the judge. Ultimately, the decision to end your federal probation early is up to the judge who originally sentenced you. To get off of federal probation early, you must show the judge that you have earned it through good conduct, and it must be in the interest of justice.[903] See Appendix EE, PG. 320 for more information.

Here is the full list of factors that the judge may consider in deciding whether to let you off probation early:

    Whether or not your Probation Officer or the Prosecutor support your request;
    The nature and seriousness of the crime you were convicted of;
    Your criminal history and/or mental illness history;
    Whether the judge believes you are a threat to the public;
    Whether the judge believes you have been sufficiently punished;
    Whether you have completed any substance abuse treatment or rehabilitation programs;
    How your sentence compares to the federal sentencing guidelines recommended sentence;
    U.S. Sentencing Commission policy statements;[904]
    Whether you’ve paid restitution to the victims.[905]
  1. 901

    18 U.S.C. § 3564(c).

  2. 902

    See Federal Defenders of New York, Supervised Release, http://federaldefendersny.org/information-for-client-and-families/supervised-release.html.

  3. 903

    18 U.S.C. § 3564(c).

  4. 904

    In 2011, the Sentencing Commission issued a policy statement informing judges that they may let former narcotics abusers from supervised release early, if that person has successfully completed a treatment program. See United States Sentencing Commission, 2013 Guidelines Manual, http://www.ussc.gov/guidelines-manual/2013/2013-5d12. See 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e)(1)-(2).

  5. 905

    See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(1)-(7).