It may come as a surprise to learn that criminal cases rarely ever go to trial at the Larimer County Courts. Rather, they are usually resolved through plea bargains negotiated between the District Attorney and the defendant – often, through her lawyer acting on her behalf. This is in large part because plea bargains benefit both the defense and the prosecution. Even so, this does not mean that the District Attorney will give you a good plea deal right from the start. For this reason, it is critical that you hire a top criminal defense lawyer before you accept a District Attorney’s offer. Below, our criminal defense lawyers discuss plea bargaining at the Larimer County Courts, and why retaining the best attorney is essential:
1. What are Plea Bargains at the Larimer County Courts?
At the Larimer County Courts, plea bargains – also known as plea deals – are negotiations between the defendant and the District Attorney / DA. These agreements generally stipulate that the defendant will plead guilty to one, some or all his charges in exchange for a concession from the DA. This concession is usually in the form of a reduction in charges or penalties. For example, a DA may offer to dismiss a defendant’s criminal charges following a deferred judgment and sentence if she pleads guilty.
2. What are the Pros and Cons of Plea Deals in Fort Collins?
While benefits and drawbacks of a plea deal specific to your case can only be explored with the advice of a top criminal defense lawyer, there are some general pros and cons of plea bargaining in Fort Collins. One of the most significant advantages to accepting a plea bargain is avoiding trial. Going to trial costs tens of thousands of dollars, and it is an arduous, time-consuming process. If you are found guilty at trial, you will most likely be sentenced more harshly than you would have been if you had accepted a plea deal.
Plea bargains do come at a cost, however. You may not be able to seal your criminal record. Or you could face collateral consequences, even if the charges against you were dismissed. For this reason, hiring the best criminal defense lawyer to advise you as to the potential consequences of a plea bargain is critical.
3. What are Some Common Plea Deals We See in Loveland and Estes Park?
A few common plea deals we see in Loveland and Estes Park include, but are not limited to, the following:
Deferred judgment and sentence / DJ&S – The defendant pleads guilty, and his review hearing is set for a later date. Before the review hearing, the defendant must meet several conditions. If he successfully adheres to these conditions by the review hearing, the charges will be dismissed.
Split plea – The defendant receives a DJ&S for a felony charge and pleads guilty to a misdemeanor charge. The felony charge will be dismissed upon successful completion of the terms, but the misdemeanor will show as a permanent conviction.
Probation – The defendant is released into the community, but must follow several conditions throughout the probationary sentence. Some conditions include random drug testing, refraining from committing any new crimes, and checking in regularly with a Probation Officer. Failure to follow these conditions can result in probation revocation and being remanded to the Larimer County Jail.
4. Why You Need the Best Larimer County Criminal Defense Lawyer
It is always imperative that you hire the best Larimer County criminal defense lawyer if you have been charged with a crime. However, this becomes especially true when it comes to plea bargains. One of the primary reasons is that you need an attorney to advise you as to whether you should accept a DA’s offer. A District Attorney’s first offer is generally unfavorable and should not be accepted without consulting a lawyer. Your attorney can examine the stipulations of the plea deal, and if he believes that it would be disadvantageous to you, he will then engage in further negotiations with the DA. Because the District Attorney also wants to avoid trial, we can often use this to our advantage when working out a plea deal for our clients.
Have you been charged with a criminal offense? Before you accept the District Attorney’s offer, first talk to the best criminal defense lawyers at the O’Malley Law Office today. Call 970-658-0007 to discuss your charges and plea offer with a top criminal defense attorney today. Together, we can protect your future.
The location for the Larimer County Courthouse is 201 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado. We’ll see you there!
Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA