The Pros and Cons of Taking a Plea Deal

If you are currently facing criminal charges, you will likely be given the opportunity to take a plea deal. What does this mean for you and your freedoms? A lot. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about plea deals, including pros and cons, before you decide to accept one.

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Plea Deal Basics

A plea deal is a bargaining tactic used by the state to make defendants plead guilty to their charges. Under a plea deal arrangement, the defendant is sentenced to a lesser charges or penalties. There are pros and cons to taking a plea deal, so it is important to learn what you can about them before choosing to move forward with such an arrangement. Furthermore, it is possible for judges to reject plea deals even though the prosecution offers them up. Although rare, this might happen if the judge explicitly and fully disagrees with giving the defendant a lesser charge or more lenient penalties.

Advantages of Plea Deals

The top advantage of accepting a plea deal is avoiding more serious criminal charges. Typically, defendants are convicted of a lesser crime, spend less time in jail (or none at all), and sentenced to lighter penalties, including fines and license suspensions. Also, defendants to not have to risk going to trial. There are also some administrative benefits to taking a plea deal. For instance, you can save a lot of money and time avoiding lengthy trials, attorney bills, and court costs. It also helps clear out some court system traffic, allowing more time for more serious cases.

Disadvantages of Plea Deals

There are some downsides to taking a plea deal. As mentioned, the judge could reject it if they do not believe it aligns with the best interests of justice. Secondly, plea deals do force a defendant to admit guilt, even if they are not guilty. It is important to understand that plea deals also waive certain constitutional rights, like self-incrimination and jury trial. The worst disadvantage is the risk of it all. Although the state can offer a plea deal, they can revoke it or decide to not grant leniency in sentencing.

Common Types of Pleas:

Guilty Plea – Defendant admits guilt and accepts the charges.

Not Guilty Plea – Defendant maintains innocence and disputes the charges.

No Contest Plea (nolo contendere) – Defendant neither admits to nor disputes the criminal charges and accepts a guilty conviction.

Alford Plea – Defendants do not admit guilt but accept the punishment under a guilty conviction after acknowledging that the evidence against them will most likely have a jury convict them.

Are you looking for a qualified criminal defense attorney who can fight your Indiana criminal charges? Contact Attorney David E. Lewis at 317-636-7514 to speak with a seasoned criminal defense lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our law firm will get you the best possible outcome to your criminal case!

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