Your Criminal Defense Lawyer Will Fight To The End, But You Have The Final Decision About Whether To Plead Innocent Or Guilty
Legal cases in criminal court can be full of surprises and plot twists, albeit usually not of the kind that you see in the movies. For example, criminal defense lawyers do not leave prosecutors speechless at trial by presenting evidence that the prosecution did not know existed. More likely, the surprise will come when the judge makes a decision about whether one side can present a certain piece of evidence; the surprise is not the evidence itself or the fact that the judge issued a decision on the matter, but rather that the judge may accept your request to allow or suppress the evidence, even though you thought it was a long shot. Deciding what to say and when to say it during criminal proceedings is an ongoing process; the outcome of your case does not rest on one single moment. The best way to maximize your chances of a successful outcome in your criminal case is to hire a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer and to communicate openly with your lawyer.
You Have the Right to Change Your Mind During Your Case, but You and Your Lawyer Should Be on the Same Page
At your first meeting with a criminal defense lawyer, the first conversation will typically address whether there is a good chance that the state will dismiss the case against you without filing charges or dismiss charges that have recently been filed. In other words, are you facing real legal trouble, or will it all blow over? If the case is unlikely to go away on its own, then you must choose a strategy. You can either choose to seek a plea deal (or enter a pretrial intervention program, if one is available for cases like yours) or to go to trial and attempt to establish reasonable doubt about your guilt. More than 90 percent of defendants whose cases make it as far as the plea hearing plead guilty. Meanwhile, you have a constitutional right to a fair trial, and the state cannot force you to plead guilty.
If you initially plead not guilty, you have the right to change your plea to guilty at any time. Whichever way you decide to plead, your lawyer will make every effort to present strong defenses or to negotiate for a plea deal where you avoid prison time or, if your charges have a mandatory minimum sentence that involves imprisonment, that you spend the least amount of time behind bars.
In the News
In a recent blog post on Above the Law, Sam Sliney, who now works as a Judge Advocate (JAG) for the U.S. Air Force, explains why she quit her job as a criminal defense lawyer. In short, she cared too much about her clients. She would be too disappointed if a defendant decided to plead guilty when she thought there was a strong case for acquittal. In the end, the defendant always has the final decision about which way to plead.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Entering a Plea
A criminal defense lawyer can help you decide whether to seek a plea deal or to plead not guilty. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
abovethelaw.com/2023/02/reflections-of-the-recovering-criminal-defense-attorney/
