WHAT IS A PLEA BARGAIN? WILL MY CASE BE PLEA BARGAINED?
The term plea bargain is often misleading to the public since it seems to imply that the defendant has received a light sentence. It is my offices goal to negotiate a punishment which you find acceptable. The vast majority of criminal cases are resolved by a plea bargain, which is, like in a civil case, a negotiated settlement. A plea bargain is an agreement between the prosecutor, the defendant, and the defendants attorney that the State will recommend a specific punishment if the defendant will enter a plea of guilty. In exchanged for a guaranteed punishment against the defendant, the defendant gives up all of the Constitutional Rights pertaining to criminal law that all citizens have. When plea bargains are reached, victims and other witnesses are not required to come to court to testify, and the large numbers of unresolved cases can be reduced. In arriving at a proper punishment through a plea bargain, the facts of the case, and prior criminal record, if any, of the defendant will
