Three Reasons You Might Want To Consider A Plea Bargain

If you have been or are about to be charged with a crime and are not confident about your ability to beat the charges in court, you may have the option of a plea bargain depending on the charges and the state you're in. A plea bargain does mean you'll have to plead guilty to something, which can be a depressing thought if you were hoping to be found completely not guilty. However, a plea bargain does have advantages, and you may want to seriously consider accepting one for these three reasons.

Lighter Sentencing

The way a plea bargain works is that you plead guilty to a lesser, or less serious, charge. Because the charge is less serious, it carries lighter penalties. In some cases, those penalties can even be as light as probation or a jail sentence that is short enough so that it's covered by time already served. If you're concerned about severe sentencing, and your case is not looking like it would be successful, pleading guilty to a lesser charge may be the lesser of two unfortunate choices.

Lower Costs

If you're paying for your own legal costs, a trial can make those bills skyrocket. If the charges and case look like they could go on for a long time, a plea bargain will save you a lot of money. Obviously, if you have a very good case and the charges are obviously incorrect, you may want to risk spending all that money. But for tough cases where you're likely to be convicted, plea bargaining may be better for your budget.

Avoiding a Trial Completely

In some cases it's possible to plea bargain before the trial starts, thus avoiding a trial completely. This saves you the experience of having to face people who hate you or who may be saying hateful or embarrassing things toward and about you, which can be emotionally difficult.

However, you must discuss plea bargaining with a competent criminal lawyer. Never try to negotiate a plea bargain by yourself, thinking that you can represent your side of the case. Remember that technicalities and precedents can also affect the outcome, and you don't want to dismiss those based on your own inexperience. Get a lawyer on your side to work out the best path for you, be it plea bargaining or forging ahead with the trial.

For more information, speak with a qualified criminal law attorney.