Plea Bargain v. Trial in a DUI case
The decision to accept a plea bargain or take your case to trial depends largely on the circumstances of your case. At Fagan, Fagan & Davis, we have tried thousands of bench and jury trials to verdict, and are capable of identifying when it’s in a client’s best interest to go to trial and when it’s not. There are many factors we take into consideration, including the client’s background and criminal history, the strengths and weaknesses of the prosecution’s case, the results of a breath or blood test, the reliability of those tests, the results of the investigation, and more. In any case, our primary concern is to act in the best interests of our client, and our goal is to help our client make wise and informed choices.
Plea Bargain
A plea bargain is an offer made by the defendant to plead guilty to a charge in exchange for avoiding a lengthy and expensive trial where the outcome is uncertain, and in order to limit dangerous consequences. By accepting a plea bargain, the defendant can also negotiate reduced penalties, alternative sentences, or even a dismissal or reduction of some charges.
Trial
In some cases, it’s in the defendant’s best interest to refuse a plea bargain and go to trial. By taking your case to trial, you have the chance of being found “not guilty.” If you are found “not guilty,” you’ll be free to walk away from the charges with a clean record.