What Happens After You Plead Not Guilty?

Hi. This is Christina Williams from Just Criminal Law. It's all we do.
We've already spent our time the last two videos talking about what happens after you're arrested. I wanted to finish up this series with what happens after you plead not guilty. You have two options, contest the charge or try to get a plea deal.
Either way, you want the best attorney you can get.

First, let's talk about contesting a charge. Contesting a charge means one of two things. Either something was done incorrectly during the investigation of your case or you didn't actually do what the police say you did. If you're contesting something because something was done incorrectly, you want the best attorney you can get. So they recognize what went wrong in the investigation and how did it violate the law? Long and short of it, the police have to follow the law while they're investigating violations of the law.

Another reason that you'd want to contest the charges is because you didn't do what the police say you did. Even if they're partially correct but partially incorrect, you shouldn't plead guilty unless they're completely correct. And you're, in fact, guilty. Contesting the charge may mean taking the case to trial. So it's vital that you have an attorney that's willing and able to do this for you. Experience matters. The key to being successful at trial is understanding what will happen at trial. And being prepared.

The other option is to plead guilty if you're in fact, guilty, but not until you get a good plea deal. As you know, this will also require an experienced attorney. Your attorney needs to recognize what a fair outcome looks like and work hard to get that offer from the prosecutor.

Here are some things that can be negotiated. The length of jail time you may have to do your fines and court costs or your probationary terms. A careful negotiation of those things will make a huge difference in your life. So you'll need a skilled attorney to handle this. Even more importantly, your attorney will help you prepare to plead guilty and to be sentenced and to know what to say to the judge. Our team help take care of important details like having your counseling done before a court and letting you know what you should say when you talk to probation and parole. We make sure you get everything completed and it's done the correct way.

If you watch this video because you have a criminal charge, take the next step and call our office for a free initial consultation. I know you'll be glad you did. I don't want you to take my word for it, though. You can visit our Google reviews by clicking the link in the description I know after defending clients for 15 years, you only get one shot at justice. So make your count.