Court finds violation true for Margaret Dela Cruz Garza, extends deferred adjudication and orders community service

The court took up State v. Margaret Dela Cruz Garza (2021 CR7769) on a motion to adjudicate and revoke community supervision. The defendant pled true to the allegation that she failed to complete the mandated intensive outpatient treatment, which the court found to be a violation of condition number 40.

Under a negotiated agreement presented by counsel and probation, the court denied the state's motion to revoke and instead altered and amended the defendant's community-supervision conditions. The judge extended deferred adjudication for 18 months, ordered a transfer to SAT (substance-abuse treatment) followed by outpatient programming, required 200 hours of community service and allowed deductions of one hour of service credit for each verified sober-support meeting.

The court explained the alternatives — it could have revoked and imposed up to three years in prison — but it followed the parties' agreement and emphasized the need for the defendant to engage in treatment and build a support system. Probation will monitor compliance and apply the agreed credits for sober meetings toward the community-service obligation.