What most people refer to when discussing a “plea” is most commonly referred to as a Plea Bargain or Plea Offer. A Plea Bargain or Plea Offer is a pre-negotiated sentence to whatever crime you are charged with. Going to trial on a case a losing will expose you to whatever the maximum penalty provided by law. Misdemeanors and felonies all have different levels of potential penalties which should be made known to you as soon as you speak with an attorney about your case.
The benefit of entering into a plea with the government or with the court is that you know what the sentence of your case will be. Negotiating a resolution with the government or with the court will require you to either enter a plea of Guilty or No Contest. A Guilty plea means that you admit all of the allegations being brought against you. A No contest plea, if accepted by the court, is neither an admission of the allegations nor is it a denial. No contest is the preferred method of entering into a plea because it allows you to resolve the case, accept a sentence without actually admitting anything.
The type of plea and sentence on your case will vary greatly depending on a number of factors. First and most important is your actual charge. The type of charge brought against you is the first thing to look at in determining what type of sentence can be given. Second, but also very important is your criminal history. If you have an extensive criminal record, you should expect a less lenient sentence than if this is your first offense. Other factors to be considered include but are not limited to: level of involvement in the crime, level of sophistication involved in committing the crime, amount of money/property stolen/damaged, the need for restitution to victims, degree of injury to victims if any, degree of your remorse, time spent in jail already. The government and the court will take many factors into consideration when negotiating a sentence on your case. It is very important that you have a experienced criminal defense lawyer working hard for you to achieve the best plea deal possible on your case.
