Criminal lawyers know the strategy involved in plea bargaining
If the case against you is uncertain, you may be in a position to negotiate a plea bargain.
In a plea bargain, the prosecution agrees to reduce the charges against you and you agree to plead guilty to the lesser offence.
You never want to try to negotiate a plea bargain on your own. You will always be negotiating from a position of weakness, and the prosecutor knows that.
You need an experienced criminal defence lawyer on your side. Your lawyer will know:
- If negotiating a plea bargain is your best option
- Which prosecutor to approach
- When to approach a prosecutor to negotiate a plea bargain
- What to say to convince the prosecutor to agree to a plea bargain. The prosecutor needs a good reason to agree and your lawyer knows the law and your case well enough to find a reason.
Were you overcharged?
Sometimes police officers lay the wrong charge. Maybe the charges laid against you are more severe than were warranted in the circumstances.
This can happen when police officers don’t have the time or resources to review the charges, or if they have a limited knowledge of the law.
It can take years of study and experience for police officers to develop a sound knowledge of criminal law.
Your lawyer will determine if you were overcharged and, if so, will have the charges against you reduced or dismissed.
Know your options
It is easy to lose hope when facing criminal charges.
Don’t give up and don’t assume that the case against you can be proven.
Consulting an experienced criminal defence lawyer will provide you with the knowledge and advice that you need to make an informed decision about your future.
Call a lawyer today and have an expert on your team.
Criminal Lawyers Know How to Plea Bargain
A lawyer will know if the negotiation process called plea bargaining might work in your case. An experienced criminal lawyer knows how to negotiate with the prosecutor to get you the best result.
Trial or plea bargain?
If you’re facing a criminal charge, you have a lot to lose.
Don’t make important decisions until you have all the information. Deciding whether or not to go to trial is a very important decision. Talk to an expert and get the legal advice you need.
A criminal lawyer will review the case against you looking for the strengths, weaknesses and likely outcomes. They’ll explain all your options and tell you what’s your best choice.
If the case against you is weak, your lawyer may recommend going to trial. If they believe conviction is likely, they may recommend plea bargaining to get you the best result.
Negotiate from a place of strength!
Prosecutors know the law, and they know how to assess your case.
You don’t.
When you try to negotiate on your own behalf, you’re operating from a position of weakness, and the prosecutor knows it.
A criminal lawyer knows the law. They know which prosecutors to talk to and what to say to convince them to reduce your charges.
A prosecutor needs a good reason to entertain a plea bargain to reduce your charges. Your criminal lawyer will provide that reason.
The bottom line.
A plea bargain may be your best option. Speak to a lawyer and find out.
You’ll probably have just one shot at a plea bargain, so make sure you do it right. Don’t try it on your own.
For the best results, have a criminal lawyer negotiate for you.
Lawyers Know Judges And Prosecutors
Criminal defence lawyers are in court every day and they get to know the local judges and crown prosecutors.
Chances are that you don’t know anything about the judges or prosecutors at your local courthouse.
And yet, if you are facing criminal charges, these people may end up making important decisions that will affect your life.
Judges and prosecutors are people too. They have individual likes and dislikes, and individual ways of doing their jobs.
Having an experienced criminal defence lawyer on your team will enable you to use their knowledge of the local judges and prosecutors to strategize for the best possible outcome in your circumstances.
Know which prosecutor to approach
Your case may be ideal for plea negotiations. Some prosecutors will agree to reduce the charge against you in exchange for your agreement to plead guilty to the lesser charge.
Other prosecutors are less likely to negotiate.
Your lawyer will know who to approach and who to avoid. Your lawyer will also know when to approach the crown prosecutor and what to say.
The prosecutor needs a good reason to agree to drop or reduce the charges against you. Your lawyer will give them those reasons by finding weaknesses in the case against you.
Benefits of knowing your prosecutor
Criminal defence lawyers spend a lot of time in court. They become very familiar with the various crown prosecutors.
Your lawyer will know:
- The arguments and submissions that a particular prosecutor is likely to make at your trial. This may help your lawyer to strategise about how to conduct your trial.
- Whether a particular prosecutor is likely to entertain plea negotiations.
- If plea negotiations are possible, when the best time is to approach the prosecutor.
- Many prosecutors will be less likely to negotiate at the last minute, when all the witnesses are ready to testify and the trial is ready to proceed.
- The strengths and weaknesses of a particular prosecutor in court, which may help your attorney when negotiating a plea bargain.
- The prosecutor’s negotiating style.
Knowing the local prosecutors can provide you with several advantages. Call a criminal defence lawyer to take advantage of their knowledge and years of experience.
Benefits of knowing your judge
If you do go to trial, your criminal defence lawyer will know:
- Any preferences of the judge regarding how the accused should act in court.
- Your lawyer will be able to advise you how to dress and act, what to say and what not to say.
- How the judge has reacted to particular arguments and submissions in the past. If a judge accepted a particular argument before, then it might work in your case too.
- How the judge responds to different types of cases.
- How the judge handles the courtroom, and what they expect from lawyers appearing before them.
- Some judges expect the lawyers to behave very formally, while others encourage a more casual atmosphere.
Knowing your judge can be a huge advantage in preparing for and conducting your trial. You want an expert on your side who knows all the players.
Knowing your judges and prosecutors
Providing you with detailed knowledge of the local judges and prosecutors is only one way in which an experienced criminal defence lawyer can help you. Call a lawyer today to get an expert on your side.
Lawyers Know Judges
Judges are human, with individual likes and dislikes.
Criminal lawyers are in court every day.
They get to know the judges. They watch and learn how judges respond to different cases.
They observe how judges react to certain submissions. They learn what to say and what not to say in front of each judge.
An experienced criminal defence lawyer knows which judges will affect your case most favorably. They know how to stack the odds in your favour.
Waiting can work against you
Waiting until the date of your trial to negotiate can be risky.
A prosecutor is less likely to negotiate if all the witnesses are there and the trial is ready to proceed.
And you’ll probably have no control over which judge hears your case, since you’ll go before whichever judge happens to be in the courtroom that day.
This may work in your favour – but it can just as easily work against you.
The bottom line
You need to know as much as possible about the judge who will hear your case.
What should you say? And, perhaps more importantly, what should you not say?
How Much Will it Cost?
Fees vary depending on factors including the seriousness of the proceedings and how much time will be involved in defending the proceedings. Our fees are charged on a case by case basis, at the beginning of the case we can agree on a fee and make a payment arrangement that suits your ability to pay.