When Should You Consider Pleading Guilty?

Many criminal defendants will start with the premise that they will fight the charges against them and prove their innocence. This is not always the right way of looking at things considering the fact that prosecutors must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Nonetheless, there may be a point in your criminal case when it makes sense to speak with prosecutors. There are some instances when you should consider pleading guilty.

First, we will start with a couple of baseline rules. The first is to not plead guilty to a crime you did not commit. The second is never to plead guilty unless the prosecutor is offering something in return. Chances are that the prosecutor is willing to offer you something in exchange for a guilty plea, whether it is the opportunity to plead guilty to a lesser crime or a reduced sentence.

The Prosecutor Must Prove Your Guilt

In fact, this is when you may consider pleading guilty. The onus is on the prosecutor to prove your guilt. However, a criminal trial will result in severe stress. There is also no way around that the cost of a criminal trial is prohibitive. There is a reason why prosecutors win such a high rate of cases that eventually go to trial. This is because they will almost always try to obtain a plea agreement in order to avoid a trial.

In those cases, you run a risk of getting a stiffer sentence after a trial than you would have gotten from a plea bargain. You should still defend yourself if you have been charged with a crime that you did not commit. In many instances, a guilty plea is the way to put the ordeal behind you with a lesser sentence than a conviction at trial would carry.

You may also choose to plead guilty to spare your family from the ordeal of a trial. Evidence will come out into the open, and criminal trials are singularly painful for families to endure. The pain is even worse when the trial receives any publicity.

A Guilty Plea Could Let You Start Your Life Again

In addition to a lesser sentence or charge, a guilty plea could also allow you to begin to put the painful experience behind you and begin to move on with your life. Even if there is a sentence to be served, you may want to begin to serve it, so you can begin to get your life back together sooner.

Sometimes, the best thing is to plead guilty so long as you are getting something in return. This is where you need an experienced attorney who knows how to deal with prosecutors. When your lawyer has worked with prosecutors in the past, the two sides can sit down for a frank conversation to help move the case towards a resolution.

Contact a Criminal Defense Attorney

If you have been charged with any crime, call the experienced attorney at the Cohen Law Offices at (715) 514-5051 or contact us online. Before you make any decision, you need advice from an attorney who can explain your legal options.