Facing criminal charges, whether they’re in a West Virginia court or a federal court, can alter the course of your life. For most people, the primary thought they have when they’re facing this type of charge is how they can get through the case quickly and with minimal penalties.
One option that you may consider is a plea deal. These are agreements worked out between the defense and the prosecution. The attorneys on both sides will go back and forth with each other to determine the terms of the deal. Before you agree to a plea deal in your case, remember these three points.
1: Plea agreement terms may vary greatly
There are several areas where attorneys can negotiate. The most common are charge bargaining and sentence bargaining. In charge bargaining, the prosecution may allow certain charges to be dropped or reduced in exchange for a plea of guilty or no contest. In sentence bargaining, the prosecution agrees to recommend a specific sentence to the court in exchange for the defendant’s plea.
2: The court may not approve the deal
The plea deal must be presented to the court, but there’s a chance the court won’t approve it. The judge will verify that you understand exactly what you’re agreeing to before they consider the deal.
3: Appeals of plea deals aren’t possible
Once you agree to a plea deal and the court accepts it, you won’t be able to appeal the terms. It’s critical that you fully understand the terms before you agree to a specific plea deal. The plea deal is still a conviction of the charges, so the remainder of your life could be changed, depending on the type of charge that you’re facing.
If you’re facing criminal charges, you may want to find out if a plea deal is going to be a viable defense strategy. You should work with someone familiar with these matters so they can help you determine if an offered deal is in your best interest.