6 Things You Need to Know Before Pleading Guilty

A. Being Legally Guilty
There’s a difference between doing something wrong and being legally guilty of a crime. No matter what you think or how you feel you’re not “legally guilty” unless the state can prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if your “legally guilty” of something before you just give up and plead guilty.

B. Proof Beyond A Reasonable Doubt
Does the state have enough evidence? Is their evidence even admissible? Is their evidence accurate and reliable? Remember, once you enter a plea the state doesn’t have to prove anything and you’re going to be sentenced and.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if the state’s evidence is accurate, reliable and admissible.

C. Overcharging
Prosecutors sometimes overcharge people to make it easier to plea bargain. Even if you’re guilty of something, you’re probably not guilty of everything you’ve been charged with and you certainly don’t deserve to receive the maximum sentence on every count in your complaint.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if you’ve been overcharged.

D. Getting the Best Possible Result
It may not seem fair but sometimes people charged with the same thing end up with very different outcomes. Of the people arrested in Minnesota this week:

  • some will have their cases dismissed,
  • some will have their sentences suspended, and
  • some will go to jail.

While you can’t always predict how a case will turn out, two things are almost always true:

  1. people with attorney’s usually end up better off than people who go into court alone; and
  2. if you plead guilty without a fixed plea agreement, you’re not going to get the best possible result.


Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if you’re getting the best possible result.

E. Your Constitutional Rights
You have certain constitutional rights designed to insure that you receive fair treatment in court. These rights are the only things protecting you from misconduct or mistreatment by the state. When you plead guilty, you waive these rights and authorize the court to punish you.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if your constitutional rights have been violated.

F. You And Your Case Are Unique
Your case is unique and so are you. You’re not like every other person charged with a crime and you don’t deserve to be treated like a criminal. If you plead guilty you will be given whatever sentence the judge thinks is fair. You might get a better result if you highlight the weak points in the prosecutions case and point out the good points about you and your case. Better still, you could structure a fixed plea agreement that will be more beneficial to you than a straight plea with an undetermined sentence.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if we can improve the outcome in your case.

G. Leaving Things to Chance
If you’re going to plead guilty, don’t leave anything to chance. You need to know exactly what the sentence will be so that there are no surprises or misunderstandings later.

Call (651) 430-1717 for a free consultation to find out if we can structure a fixed plea agreement that will be more beneficial to you than a straight plea with an undetermined sentence.