There are essentially three types of pleas that can be made in a criminal case. This includes guilty, not guilty, or no contest. This article takes a brief look at each plea and the potential ramifications thereof.
Guilty
When a person pleads guilty, they admit to and accept the charges placed against them. Usually, an SLC criminal defense attorney would not advise their client to plead guilty. There are, of course, circumstances in which this might be the wisest choice. This can include situations where more charges will be placed unless the defendant pleads guilty to the crimes. Or perhaps a sentence reduction can be achieved in exchange for a guilty plea.
Not Guilty
By far and away, this is the most common plea that is entered in criminal justice courts. When a person enters a not guilty plea, they deny the charges placed against them. When doing so, the person allows themselves time to review their case with their defense attorney. There can be many advantages to entering into a not guilty plea. This is something that people should take into consideration when speaking with their legal representatives. Most notably, all discovery can be obtained from the prosecutor’s office to see the evidence’s validity.
No Contest
When a no contest plea is made, the person is neither admitting nor denying the charges made against them. Essentially this plea is to close the case as quickly as possible with the defendant admitting to a crime.
Plea Bargaining
This option is essentially an agreement between the prosecutor’s office and the defense attorneys. Typically the defendant will admit guilt in exchange for a drop in certain charges. This means a lesser sentence because there are fewer crimes charged against the defendant. The caveat is, however, that the court must agree to the terms of the plea bargain.
