Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wikipedia
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation. If the defendant does not break the law during that period, and fulfills the particular conditions of the probation, the judge usually dismisses the sentence.
Usage examples of "suspended sentence".
There are various categories among the people on hold: retrial, pending, bail, temporary release, suspended sentence, appeal, and so forth.
The falconer and his companion set off immediately, leaving d'Artagnan alone in the midst of the suspended sentence.
Indict Johnny Brownell, tell him to request a no-jury venue and have the judge let him off with a suspended sentence--his brother was one of the officers initially assaulted.
If only Max would leave all pleading to the lawyers, he said, there would be no trouble getting an acquittal, or at worst a suspended sentence.
According to court records, Byers received only a twelve-month suspended sentence, despite the assurance he’.
I mean, he springs for a really good mouthpiece, and when the jury finds me guilty anyway, he talks to the judge and gets me a suspended sentence.
I had negotiated thirty days in Rikers for him, and he got off with a suspended sentence because of whatever Lance said to Goldstein.
Mimi, adjudged to be no more than Billy's love-duped underling, was given a suspended sentence.
I doubt if anything more than a suspended sentence would be invoked against a man of your age and physical condition, however.