NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — During a progress report hearing on Jan. 14, 2026, Judge Carlton Biggs set a new deadline for an accused man to complete a required motor vehicle course as a condition of his probation, after the man missed a December 2025 deadline due to miscommunication with counsel. Judge Biggs ordered the accused to re-enroll immediately despite the accused explaining to the court that financial hardship prevented him from doing so without an extension.
Judge Biggs insisted that the accused provide proof of enrollment by Jan. 23, a deadline less than two weeks from the hearing, even though the accused stated he could not afford the course on such short notice.
During the hearing, Judge Biggs questioned the accused about his failure to complete the original probation terms by the December deadline. Those conditions included a three-month motor vehicle course and completion of community service hours, with the accused’s probation set to expire in less than three months.
The accused, who was not represented by an attorney at the start of the hearing, explained that the delay stemmed from a miscommunication involving a fraudulent attorney who was supposed to handle his case. He told the court that his employer had hired an attorney on his behalf, but that individual turned out to be a scam and never addressed his legal responsibilities.
The accused said he believed the attorney had successfully requested and obtained an extension for the probation requirements. He later learned that no such request had been made because the attorney was not legitimate.
The fraudulent scheme cost both the accused and his employer money and contributed to his belief that he had more time to comply with the probation conditions. Judge Biggs responded that no attorney had appeared on the accused’s behalf to request an extension and told him, “That’s not my problem.”
After reviewing the case, Judge Biggs stated that failure to complete the probation conditions constituted a violation that could result in jail time. The judge then presented the accused with two options: immediately enroll in the three-month motor vehicle course and community service, or be sentenced to 30 days in jail for violating probation.
The accused told the court he did not want to go to jail but requested an extension of one to two months to raise the money needed to enroll in the courses and to address issues with his employer.
When Judge Biggs moved to set a new deadline for proof of enrollment, he declined to grant the requested extension, citing the fact that probation was set to expire in less than three months.
Because the accused was unrepresented and unable to afford an attorney, Judge Biggs ordered the appointment of counsel. Deputy Public Defender Hannah Elder was appointed and began representing the accused during the hearing.
Following negotiations, the parties agreed to a proof-of-enrollment deadline of Jan. 23, leaving the accused with less than two weeks to secure the funds required for the three-month course and to coordinate compliance with his employer.
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