Oftentimes criminal cases are resolved outside court through plea bargains. Experienced attorneys will be able to talk with you and discuss your case. Then a decision can be made on the best way to proceed with your case.
Weighing Risks of Plea Bargains
In many cases, a plea bargain may be an option. We can help you decide what is the best path for you to take. In most jurisdictions, the majority of cases are handled that way.
Plea bargaining can helps prosecutors and defendants avoid the time and cost of a costly trial. It may help the defendant avoid risking harsher punishments and any publicity that may come with a trial. It also helps the courts avoid having a lengthy and costly trial every time someone is charged with a crime.
A plea bargain may begin with either the prosecution or the defense, but both sides have to agree on the terms in order for a plea bargain to be put in place. Oftentimes, plea bargaining allows a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge or to part of the charges he or she is facing.
Sometimes a plea bargain may not reduce the charges, but may reduce what the punishment recommendation for the defendant. The biggest issue in that situation is that a judge is not bound by the recommendation of the prosecution, so the defendant may still receive a harsher punishment.
Plea bargains may have to be approved in court, but the whole process is usually private. Most often, other parties do not know the details of a plea bargain until the details have been announced in court.
