Should You Plead Or Go To Trial On Criminal Charges In Federal Court??

When you get charged with a federal crime, automatically you are going to be extremely confused about what you should do next. One of the main things that will be running through your mind is whether or not you should go to trial. It is important that you understand both sides, and it is important that you find an attorney who will lead you in the right direction.

Pleading Guilty in Federal Court

When it comes to pleading guilty of a federal crime, there are a few ways you can do this. You can plead contested or plead uncontested. Contested means you are not admitting to the crime, but you are going to be charged and sentenced as if you did do the crime. Uncontested means you are not fighting the charges but just looking for the best deal possible. When it comes to federal charges, many people plead guilty to get their time down, especially since more federal prison sentences start near the 12-year mark. Pleading guilty will usually cause you to only do about 25% of your time. This is sometimes even lower if there is a victim who does not want to sit through a trial for weeks.

Going to Trial