Legal Question in Criminal Law in Maryland

Re: stet dockets?

A stet is not a conviction. It is an agreement not to prosecute a case. Therefore in response to a question that ask you about convictions, and all you have is a stet, then the answer is NONE.

Re: stet dockets?

12 July 2002

If you are asking about, say, filling out a standard

employment form which inquires about any convictions

beyond traffic violations, etc....the answer is "no"

a stet disposition does NOT amount to a conviction. There

are five dispositions of a criminal matter that would not

be a conviction: 1) charges withdrawn, 2) not guilty

finding or verdict, 3) PBJ (probation before judgment also

not technically considered a conviction in most cases),

4) "stet" of the charges which means they are put on an

inactive status for usually a period of one year, without

a finding, pending good behavior of the defendant and

then if the defendant is not arrested, etc. in that time,

the charges are dropped, 5) a "nolle pros" which is just

like dismissal in terms of 1) but usually does not happen

until there are court proceedings.

A "stet" would not be a conviction, as I understand

the situation. If you had a criminal charge which

resulted in a stet in criminal proceedings, you do not

have to provide any information about that situation

on a form asking about your "convictions."

Re: stet dockets?

The short answer is no. A "stet" means the case is placed on an inactive status for 3 year period.