Have you ever been given a plea bargain for your criminal case in Iowa?
Don’t know if you should accept it or not?
Confused and don’t know what to do?
Read on to see the consequences you may be facing if you do not think about this beforehand.
Consulting with a lawyer in Iowa
There is a reason why lawyers study long years in the university. This is to protect the rights of every individual. This includes your right to a just and fair trial.
So when you are offered a plea bargain, don’t immediately accept. Rather, ask the help of a criminal attorney who is familiar with the legal process and can evaluate if what is being presented to you is a good one or not.
You may have some idea on how legal processed are handled, by letting a knowledgeable attorney look at the details of your case is wiser. If indeed the pieces of evidence against you are strong and would be very difficult to refute, then they may tell you to go and accept the plea bargain.
But that is only after they have carefully looked at all the documents and facts of your case.
Understanding if the plea bargain is indeed a “bargain”
This is a tricky one, especially for someone who knows very little about the law. But this is one thing you should always remember: prosecutors want to get as many convictions while public defenders would want many acquittals at the soonest time possible.
Thus, when both go to negotiate these two will throw your best day and worst day in court. Based on these scenarios, they will get into the best form of the bargain for your case not to go to trial.
In deciding, look closely at the best and worst scenarios and take it from there.
Deciding which option is your best interest
Prosecutors will make it appear that the plea bargain presented before you is for your best interest, however, you should always remember that they are not your friend. They may only be offering the plea bargain because they know they have a weak set of evidence. Thus it is best to discuss this matter with your criminal defense attorney in Iowa. After all, if there is one ally you can lean on during these tough moments, it is no other than them.