There is a high chance that a prosecutor will offer you a plea deal if you face criminal charges.
Despite everyone having the constitutional right to a jury trial, most cases are settled with plea deals. It suits the overburdened legal system. It suits the prosecutor, who can chalk up yet another win. But does it suit you?
Not if you are innocent
Many innocent people accept plea deals because they don’t believe they can prove their innocence. The prosecutors will try to scare them into believing the odds of an acquittal are next to nothing. Buy that’s not true. There is always a chance if you have the right legal support.
It might not be the best deal even if you are guilty
Prosecutors may exaggerate the líkely sentence you’ll receive if your case goes to trial and you are convicted.
Judges take a lot of things into account when determining what sentence to give and can be much more lenient than the prosecution would like or will tell you.
There are also many technical grounds on which a judge may dismiss a charge. For example, however steadfast the evidence against you, if the police seized it during an improper search, the judge should refuse to admit it.
If it was properly collected but improperly stored, the judge might instruct the jury to discount it due to a lack of reliability.
Whatever your situation, if a prosecutor offers you a plea deal, seek legal help to understand more about your defense options and whether accepting is right for you.