A plea bargain is an agreement between a criminal defense attorney and the prosecution to resolve a criminal case with a defendant pleading guilty or no contest in exchange for a reduced sentence or a lesser charge.

In the U.S., the sheer amount of people that are arrested puts tremendous stress on the court systems, prisons, and jails. As a result, prosecutors and defense attorneys may agree to a sentence or charge reduction. In a plea bargain, you can:

Reduce the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor or misdemeanor to an infraction
Plea to set charges in exchange for not adding other charges
Reduce the sentence based on the defendant’s lack of a record or weak evidence
Plea to a set of charges in return for a reduced or alternative sentence in exchange for information

However, accepting a plea bargain is not a decision to be made lightly. If you accept a plea bargain, it requires you to plead guilty, which, in most cases results in a criminal conviction on your record. If you are considering agreeing to a plea agreement with the prosecution, you must look at the following:

The offer versus the consequences: Sometimes the sentence associated with a plea bargain is so lenient when compared to the potential sentence you would face at trial, there is almost no question as to whether you should accept it.
The ramifications of a guilty plea: Other times, there are circumstances that make a plea deal completely unacceptable. For example, if a guilty plea results in your deportation or the loss of child custody, you should take your chances with a trial.
The strength of the prosecution’s case: Prosecutors sometimes let their personal beliefs cloud their judgment and may proceed with a weak case. When you consult with a lawyer, they can evaluate the strength of the prosecution’s case against you and let you know whether you have a strong chance of getting an acquittal.

If you have been charged with a crime, please speak to one of our Connecticut criminal defense attorneys at The Sills Law Firm to learn more. Choose us today and we can get started on building a defense to help you get your charges reduced, or possibly dismissed.

Call us at (860) 524-8118 or fill out our online form today.