Should I take a plea deal?

Full Answer

Plea bargains resolve the overwhelming majority of criminal cases. A good plea offer can reduce a felony to a misdemeanor, eliminate jail time, dismiss enhancements, or open the door to expungement down the road. A bad plea offer can lock in lifelong consequences far worse than what would result from trial.

Before accepting any offer, your attorney should review the discovery, evaluate the strength of the state's case, identify weaknesses (suppression motions, witness credibility, procedural defects), and explain the realistic range of outcomes at trial.

Pay particular attention to collateral consequences: immigration status, professional licenses, security clearances, gun rights, sex-offender registration, and the ability to expunge or seal the record later. These often outweigh the immediate sentence.