Pleading guilty to a DUI charge comes with enormous consequences, so you must have an experienced lawyer to guide you in the process. Every court case is indeed different, but you need to know that pleading guilty only compound your problems. Here is some necessary information on DUI and trials.
Always Plead Not Guilty
The moment you plead guilty, you give up your rights to the states, and to argue mitigation with a persecutor will send you on a deep rabbit hole. When you don’t plead guilty, it allows the court to go on a pretrial, which entails meeting with the persecutor to help argue the case. This interaction will open the floor to discuss what the penalty should be or not be.
When you don’t plead guilty, you have a much higher chance to negotiate for a better deal. But when you argue guilty, you’re now at the mercy of the persecutor. That is why you need an experienced lawyer that will guide you through the process for better decision making.
Starting Your Plea
There are numerous ways you can state your plea without pleading guilty and pleading no contest. In this section, you will learn the difference between pleading guilty and pleading no contest. The difference is pretty glaring.
- Pleading Guilty – When you plead guilty, it means you admit to the crime committed. In other words, you fully accept the punishment of the offense. Pleading guilty is not a wise legal decision unless there is more at stake than what is on the surface.
- Pleading No Contest – When you plead no contest, you receive the charges without having to admit to the offense. It is a way of saying, I accept the punishment, but I didn’t commit the crime. The Latin translation of this plea is “I do not wish to contest. In other words, you deny liability for the charge but accept the punishment.
It’s Is Better To Plead No Contest.
Now that you know the difference, you’d probably go for a no-contest since it comes with lesser consequences. Most DUI cases often end up in a no-contest plea, so yours shouldn’t be any different. By entering into this plea, you’re leveraging the ruling to be less severe.
The benefits of this plea are tremendous and ensure such a case isn’t used against you in the future. Unlike a guilty plea, it prevents the mention of the admission of guilt in a civil damage suit.
Wrapping Up
Consult with a DUI lawyer to help you through the process. Your lawyer will ensure you get the best chance and the best deal. Through the legal advice of an experienced lawyer, you might end up beating the case or going home with a no-contest deal. If you’re looking for a law firm to help with this situation, contact us.
For help with your DUI or traffic case, please contact our office. With over 75 years of combined legal experience, Attorneys David B. Franks, David N. Rechenberg and James H. Andrle have helped regular people overcome extraordinary obstacles.