Should You Accept a Plea Bargain?

When a defendant is charged with a crime, the prosecuting attorney may offer a plea bargain. This is essentially an agreement wherein the defendant pleads "guilty" but to a lesser charge and/or sentence. This keeps the case from going to trial, preserving government resources and manpower spent litigating in criminal court. If every single criminal case went to trial in the United States, the courts would be so overloaded that the entire system would basically shut down. The lesser penalties or charge are offered as an incentive for the defendant to accept the offer, but it is important to carefully consider any plea offer before making an agreement. Once a defendant pleads "guilty", there is no turning back. When a defendant pleads "not guilty", however, he or she may change his or her mind and plead guilty later on in legal proceedings.

Every case is different, and to make the right decision about whether to accept a plea bargain offered in your or a loved one's case, it will be important to review the matter with an experienced attorney. When you have valuable insight into the matter and can correctly weigh the odds of pleading "not guilty" and avoiding a conviction in criminal court, you can make the best choice. An attorney can also offer invaluable services if you decide to accept a plea bargain by ensuring that the prosecuting attorney abides by his or her end of the agreement. The last thing you need after accepting the plea offer is to find out that you actually will receive a higher sentence than you were offered.

Calvo & Calvo, Attorneys at Law represents clients throughout the Fort Myers area in all types of criminal cases, including drug crimes, DUI, sex crimes, theft and even murder.

For a confidential review of your case by a competent professional, contact a Fort Myers criminal defense attorney at the firm today.