Few things have the potential to cause more interruption in your life than criminal charges. After all, if a judge or jury convicts you of a crime, you may lose your freedom, pay exorbitant fees or both. According to reporting from USA Today, you even may struggle to find future employment with a criminal record.
Because prosecutors and judges tend to be busy, prosecutors often try to convince individuals to accept plea deals. A plea deal may be good for you, as it may lessen the penalties you face. Still, there are certain situations when accepting a plea deal is just not advisable.
Confusion
Because they are lawyers, prosecutors often speak and write in confusing and overly technical ways. If you do not understand exactly what the plea deal says, you should seek more information before agreeing to it. This includes not understanding every possible consequence that comes with pleading guilty.
Innocence
When you accept a plea deal, you admit to your guilt. If you are innocent, saying you are guilty may be a bad idea. Indeed, you may be able to avoid having a criminal record simply by proving your innocence at trial.
Evidence
On the other hand, you may have done the crime prosecutors have accused you of doing. There is nothing wrong with forcing prosecutors to make their case in open court. If you think they do not have enough evidence to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, you may want to roll the dice.
Ultimately, because accepting a plea deal is not something you should do carelessly or recklessly, you probably want to talk to an attorney before doing so.