Will My Case End in a Plea Bargain?

By Law Offices of Joshua S. Davidson, PLC | Jul 31, 2017
If you are facing criminal charges in Phoenix or anywhere else in Maricopa County, you’re probably aware of the fact that Arizona, like Texas and Florida is known for being tough on crime. Armed with that information, you may be nervous about your future. Will you be incarcerated? Will you have to pay a hefty fine? Will you get probation or parole? Of course, when you plead guilty to the original offense as charged, you can expect the full wrath of the criminal justice system. For this reason, most defendants do not walk into a courtroom and plead guilty to the original charge. Instead, they seek a plea bargain or they decide to take their case to trial.

Will Your Case Go to Trial?

Suppose you are facing criminal charges right now. Should you have a jury trial? Or, should you try to negotiate a plea bargain? How do you know which path is right for you? For starters, we want you to know that over 90% of criminal cases are resolved through plea bargains, and there are reasons for this. How do you tell if a case should be tried in court or resolved with a plea bargain? It depends; however, a lot of it comes down to the evidence available, and the defendant’s guilt or innocence. A defense attorney will usually advise his or her client to go to trial when:
  • The defendant is innocent,
  • There are holes in the prosecution’s case, or
  • The defendant is innocent and the case is circumstantial at best.
On the other hand, suppose you did make a mistake and the state has a lot of evidence against you. In that case, it may be in your best interests to try and negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor. The main advantages of a plea bargain generally include: the defendant pleads guilty to a less-stigmatized offense, the defendant gets a shorter sentence, and lighter penalties. Will your case be resolved through a plea bargain? As we mentioned earlier, it will likely come down to your guilt or innocence and how strong the state’s case is against you. If the case is weak, we may try to get your charges dismissed based on insufficient evidence. But if the case is strong, a negotiated plea deal may be your best option.

To discuss your case with a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer for free, contact our office today! Learn more about Attorney Davidson’s credentials here!

Categories : Criminal Defense, Criminal Process, Plea Bargains

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