A deferred sentence is a sentence that is suspended until after a defendant has completed a period of probation. If the defendant fulfills the stipulations surrounding probation, a judge may then throw out the sentence and guilty plea, clearing the incident from their record. If the defendant violates probation, he or she must serve the full sentence immediately. Deferred sentences are often given to first time offenders, or to those who have committed relatively minor crimes, although ultimately, the choice to defer a sentence is left to a judge's discretion.