Plea Bargaining: Do I Really Need a Lawyer?

Sometimes, a plea bargain is in your best interest. After investigating your DUI case, examining the evidence, and consulting with experts, a lawyer may encourage you to accept a plea bargain instead of take your case to trial. Plea bargains should never be the first option. It is, however, a legitimate choice once all other possibilities are exhausted. You may wonder whether or not you actually need an attorney to help you plead guilty.

This is a fair, but uninformed question. Plea bargaining doesn't just involved pleading guilty – it's a skill. For instance, attorneys with a reputation for taking cases to court make better plea bargainers. Why? Even if the prosecution has a strong case against you, he can't know whether or not you are innocent or guilty of the charges brought against you. In essence, prosecution will have a harder time calling your bluff if you're working with an aggressive attorney.

Additionally, if prosecution has a convincing case, a skilled attorney may be able to bargain for your charges to be reduced. Instead of a DUI, you could plead guilty for reckless driving. A plea bargain to a reduced charged is more likely when you are working with a lawyer – without one, the prosecution will assume that you intended to plead guilty from the beginning and resist decreasing any criminal allegations you face.

Need to speak with an Atlanta DUI defense attorney about a DUI case? Call The Law Offices of Richard S. Lawson today to see how we can help!