In your case, it may be likely that you’ll be convicted. Your attorney may even tell you that the prosecution has a strong case against you.
That doesn’t mean that you should give up. One possible solution that can still help you is to turn to plea bargaining. Plea bargaining generally helps people enter a guilty plea in exchange for lesser penalties. For example, if you plead guilty, one or more charges may be dropped or penalties could be significantly reduced.
Why do courts like plea bargaining?
Plea bargaining has a few positives that you should understand. They are that:
- Both sides, the prosecution and defense, are able to come up with a solution without the uncertainty of going to trial.
- The prosecution saves money and time by avoiding a trial.
- Defendants avoid the cost and time that it takes to defend themselves during a trial. Additionally, they limit the risk of harsh penalties as well as publicity from a public trial.
- The court saves money and time by not having to conduct a trial on every case.
In many cases, plea bargaining is fairly private. Victims of a crime may have some input into the process, but the public wouldn’t know about the plea bargain until after it was announced in court. A plea bargain is sometimes subject to approval by the judge, but if it is reasonable, then it’s likely that a judge will accept it. If it isn’t subject to approval, then an agreement can be made outside court. Your attorney can give you more guidance if you think this could work for your case.