Insights Into How Our Legal System Works

The Benefits Of Accepting A Plea Deal When You Are Facing Federal Charges

14 May 2018 by Yolanda Lane

If you have been charged with a federal crime, you may have hired a federal criminal lawyer to help you with your case. If there is a significant amount of evidence against you, your attorney may work to negotiate a plea deal on your behalf and recommend you take that plea deal rather than pushing you to go to trial. If you are on the fence about accepting a plea deal, you may wonder what the benefits are for you in taking a plea deal instead of going to trial. Here are a few of the benefits. 

You Are Not Subject to Federal Sentencing Guidelines

All federal crimes have federal sentencing guidelines. This means that there is a minimum amount of time and a maximum amount of time that a judge can sentence you to if you are found guilty of a federal crime. This helps to ensure that all criminals with the same convictions are treated equally. However, if you take a plea deal, you are not subject to the federal sentencing guidelines. Because of this, a lawyer can negotiate a better deal than you would get if you were to go to trial and be found guilty of the crimes that you are charged with. 

You Avoid a Costly Trial

Another benefit to take a plea deal when are facing federal charges is that you avoid a costly trial. Taking a case to trial can be expensive, especially if you or your family are paying the fees for an attorney. Criminal attorneys charge by the hour and this adds up quickly if your case goes to trial. By taking a plea deal, you help to minimize the amount of money that your or your family spends on a trial. 

You Begin Serving Your Sentence Faster

The last benefit to accepting a plea deal when you are facing federal charges is that you know the outcome of your case right away and begin to serve your sentence, helping you to put the past in the past. If you take your case to trial, it can take over a year before your case actually comes before a judge and jury. All the while, you may remain in jail and/or not know what is going to happen. This can be stressful for both you and your family. When you take a plea deal, everyone knows the outcome quickly and is able to move on with their lives. 

The conviction rates for federal crimes are higher than state crimes. As such, it is less likely that you will win a federal case. If there is a lot of evidence against you, taking a plea deal typically ends up being a better deal for you. An experienced federal criminal lawyer can work with prosecutors to negotiate the best possible plea deal for you, and help you get out of prison as quickly as possible. 

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