The sad fact remains that most persons accused of a crime end up being convicted of a crime. And the vast majority of those convictions come by way of guilty pleas. In many cases, folks plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in order to avoid the risk of trial. That is not a decision everyone can make
Plea bargaining is part and parcel of the criminal justice system. The state may have charged the wrong crime; evidence may be missing or inadmissible; perhaps a victim is reluctant to testify. There are many reasons why bargaining makes sense.
Lawyers have a professional duty to plea bargain in criminal cases. A lawyer who refuses to do so is not doing his or her job. But sometimes clients simply cannot accept what is being offered. Suppose, for example, that you are offered 25 years if you plead guiity prior to trial. If convicted, the sentence could be far worse. Some folks simply cannot make that choice.
One thing is certain in the criminal courts. A failure to decide will result in trial. And some lawyers are reluctant to take cases to trial.
We are not reluctant. I am happiest as a lawyer when in court doing what I do best: cross-examining a witness or arguing the merits of my client's cause. If you or a loved one are facing trial and need trial counsel, consider giving our office a call. We're not miracle workers. We just like a good fight and fear that too much of lawyering these days is spent in the office, and not enough is spent in the well of a courtroom
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