Jail Credit Law and Legal Definition
Jail credit refers to the time that is spent by a defendant in confinement in any State or local correctional, mental or other institution as a result of the charge that culminated in the sentence. Usually, this time spent is deducted from the defendant’s final sentence if the defendant is convicted. A defendant is entitled to jail credit for periods of confinement prior to his/her conviction as long as the defendant does not serve another sentence during the same time period. Jail credit comes to an end when the defendant starts serving active sentence.
