When a person is facing accusations of robbery, they may have plea deal options for their charges in Stafford County. A person is able to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. It is important for someone facing charges to have legal representation so they can ask for advice and ensure they have sound legal counsel when making decisions about their plea options.
An experienced attorney will be able to examine the evidence and determine the best course of action. If you are facing different plea options for robbery charges in Stafford County, you should consider hiring a skilled robbery lawyer.
Different Plea Options
A plea of guilty means the person is admitting they are guilty of the crime and are leaving open only the issue of what the punishment will be. Pleading not guilty means the person is contesting the government’s case and asking for a trial. A plea of no contest means that while a person is not admitting guilt, the person is not contesting guilt either. For all intents and purposes in Virginia, a no contest plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.
Important Things to Consider
There are a number of things to consider before a person should plead guilty in this kind of case or any kind of case. It is important to consider whether there are any good defenses which may allow a person to beat the charge. It is important to consider what the consequences at trial might be as opposed to pleading guilty. It is also important to understand what the person is giving up by pleading guilty, including the person’s right to a trial and to confront or cross-examine witnesses.
This is the kind of decision that should only be undertaken after a thorough investigation and a thorough discussion with counsel.
Deciding Whether or Not To Take a Plea Deal
Someone should expect that there is going to be a thorough analysis done by their attorney, both in terms of the evidence that the defense has and if the government has any violations of rights which may allow the person to suppress evidence. There is going to be an analysis that involves an understanding of the prosecutor and the judge and what the likely outcome of each scenario is. Also, after thinking about all of that and talking about it thoroughly, a lawyer, in most cases, will make a recommendation to their potential client as to whether they think a plea or a trial is in their best interest. Ultimately, that choice is always going to be up to the person.
Hiring a Robbery Lawyer
It is virtually impossible to a plea bargain without a lawyer. While in some cases a prosecutor may talk to the person without an attorney, the person is going to be at a severe disadvantage in that negotiation and inevitably taken advantage of. A lawyer is going to assist the person in that process by understanding how these negotiations work, what the person has to bargain with, and what kinds of things a prosecutor is going to care about.
If you are facing robbery charges, it can be overwhelming without a lawyer. An experienced local attorney understands the plea options for robbery charges in Stafford County and can determine an appropriate plea deal for you.
