The spirit of Christmas was alive and well in Carbon County Judge Steven Serfass' courtroom on Tuesday.

Serfass handed down sentences for three people, but tempered their punishments with benevolence.Jeremy Neil Tobin's four children will be able to celebrate Christmas with their father after Serfass agreed to allow Tobin to start his jail time on Jan. 2 instead of immediately.Tobin, 34, of Lansford, had pleaded guilty on Oct. 10 to driving under the influence for the third time. A self-employed contractor, Tobin admitted to having made the wrong choice, but said he was driving to work so he could earn money to support his children."I learned my lesson," he told Serfass.Tobin's lawyer, Jason Rapa, asked Serfass to impose the minimum mandatory sentence, and to delay the start of Tobin's jail time.Assistant District Attorney Jean A. Engler said she would agree with the minimum sentence, and to have both the sentences for driving under the influence and for driving with a suspended license, served at the same time.Serfass sentenced Tobin to 10 days to two years in jail on the DUI charge. He suspended Tobin's license for a year and ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service.As punishment for driving while his license was suspended, Serfass suspended his license for six months, fined Tobin $2,500, and ordered him to perform 25 hours of community service.Tobin must also pay court costs and fees, and undergo drug and alcohol evaluations, and abstain from drinking or taking illegal drugs.In another case, Serfass agreed to approved work release and a minimum sentence for a man who needs to look for a job to help his struggling parents, who have been caring for his two children, one of whom is autistic, since their mother abandoned them.Stephen M. Soldridge, 45, of Slatington, has pleaded guilty in August to driving under the influence of a controlled substance.His lawyer, Michael Stump, said Soldridge had been a steady worker, but had quit his job with LifePath because of his arrest. Stump asked Serfass to impose a minimum 90-day sentence, with work release so Soldridge could find another job."I'm just really sorry," Soldridge said. "I screwed up big time."Engler said the district attorney's office agreed to the request.Serfass sentenced Soldridge to 90 days to six months jail time and fined him $1,500. Soldridge must also pay costs and fees, perform 150 hours of community service, and surrender his license for 18 months.Serfass also meted out benevolent justice to Jason Rao, 40, of Lehighton, who also was in court for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. In Rao's case, it was painkillers.Rao was arrested on Nov. 15, 2012, along Blakeslee Blvd. East by Mahoning Township police. Given a test, the result showed the presence of a controlled substance in his system. He also pleaded to two summary motor vehicle code violations."I didn't realize I had too many in me," Rao told the judge.His lawyer, Gregory Mousseau, asked Serfass if Rao could serve a 72-hour minimum sentence on a weekend. Rao has animals to care for at home, and has a doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon. He could report to jail Friday evening, Mousseau said.Rao explained that he fell 40 feet from a roof some years ago, and a metal rod placed in his damaged leg was "coming through."Serfass sentenced Rao to 72 hours to six months in jail. He fined him $1,000, and suspended his license for six months. Rao must also perform 25 hours of community service.