We recently discussed how plea deals can impact your defense. If you are willing to think about one of these deals, you need to make sure that you understand exactly what it means. One important point to remember is that you will have to plead no contest or guilty to the charges that are placed against you. There are marked differences between these two plea types, so make sure you know which you are willing to agree to.
When you plead guilty, you are acknowledging that you did the crime of which you are accused. You shouldn’t ever plead guilty if you didn’t actually commit the crime.
When you plead no contest, you aren’t directly admitting fault. Instead, you are agreeing that the prosecution’s case against you is so strong that a conviction is likely.
We know that you might want to know more about plea deals. We can help you learn if a plea deal is possible in your case. If it is, we can work to find out the conditions that would be part of the deal.
Remember, that a plea deal does mean that you will have a mark on your criminal record. This could be a life-changing event, especially if the charge is a felony. You should think about how being branded as a felon would impact your freedom and your future.
While you might be willing to consider a plea deal, you should still work on preparing a defense strategy for trial. If the plea negotiations don’t pan out, your case will likely go to trial. Preparing your defense now can help you to be ready if that happens.