v. People

Summary

The court held that the deferred-judgment statute is ambiguous regarding extensions made before the four-year statutory maximum, so the plain-meaning rule alone does not resolve the issue. Considering statutory history, legislative purpose, and the consequences of competing interpretations, the court concluded that a trial court may extend a deferred judgment for any legitimate reason and as many times as appropriate within the four-year aggregate limit, and may extend it beyond four years for up to 180 days only when restitution is the sole unfulfilled condition. The court therefore affirmed the judgment upholding the trial court's authority to extend and later revoke Carrera's deferred judgment.