Plea bargains can help defendants to get the criminal case finished without having to go through a trial. While some people might want to present their case to a trial jury, others might want to know what is going to happen. This is where a plea deal would come into the picture.
A plea deal is an agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant. It must be approved by the court before it becomes valid. When the negotiations are occurring, the defendant should make sure he or she truly understands what is going on.
A person who enters into a plea deal isn’t getting off the charges. Instead, he or she must either plead guilty or no contest, depending on the terms of the agreement. This means that a conviction is going to be entered into the criminal history of the person.
As part of a plea deal, the prosecution will seek a specific sentence for the defendant. It might also include reduced charges that don’t come with the same stigma as the original charge. This might be beneficial to you as you move on with your life after the case is resolved.
Before you decide that you are going to work on a plea deal, you must make sure that you remember that you should only do this if you did commit the crime. People who are innocent shouldn’t accept a plea deal. You should also make sure that you are ready to deal with all of the consequences that come with the conviction, which can include those that are associated with felons if you are facing a felony charge.
Source: FindLaw, “Plea Bargain Pros and Cons,” accessed March 09, 2018
