For many criminal defendants, success is synonymous with a not-guilty verdict. However, taking a case to trial is lengthy, costly and unpredictable.
Researchers have found that the vast majority of criminal cases result in a guilty plea, often accompanied by a plea bargain arrangement negotiated with a prosecutor. Defendants facing serious charges may decide to hire a criminal defense attorney to help them negotiate a plea bargain instead of mounting a defense at a trial.
How does a plea bargain benefit the defendant?
Prosecutors obviously benefit from plea bargains, as they keep their conviction rates high without needing to actually prove the charges against a defendant. They also save the state money by minimizing how many cases go to trial.
For criminal defendants, plea bargains offer a couple of valuable benefits. The first is the ability to reduce the total number of charges or the severity of the charges. If the prosecutor brought multiple charges for a single incident, they may agree to dismiss all but one of the charges in return for a guilty plea to that primary offense.
Other times, they may agree to reduce a felony offense to a misdemeanor in exchange for a guilty plea. They may also agree to take specific penalties, such as incarceration, off the table, or limit the sentence possible.
Defendants can potentially benefit from limiting the penalties the courts can impose during sentencing or having a lesser offense turn up during background checks. They may also find it beneficial to resolve the charges quickly instead of enduring the stress of prosecution for many months. Reviewing the state’s case with a criminal defense attorney can help people determine if a plea bargain might be helpful in their case.
