David Serna: The Pros and Cons of Pleading Guilty

When criminal defense lawyers like David Serna help their clients make the critical decision of choosing between going to trial or pleading guilty, they often have more factors to consider. Lawyers need to make their clients understand how it will affect their case, whether for the better or worse.

Pros:

1. Waiting for trials can take a very long time, up to a year or even more.

Defense attorneys, especially their clients, will have to wait while carrying all the uncertainties about the results. But David Serna believes that when criminal defense lawyers plead guilty, they know that they will be confronting the case face-on. Meaning, they should resolve the issue more quickly than if they waited for a criminal trial.

2. Trials can be costly.

Besides the agonizing months of waiting for a trial, it can also cost a lot. The expense for defense lawyers is generally less when the defendant chooses to plead guilty instead of trial. David Serna believes that saving thousands of dollars should be one of the most significant considerations for someone who anticipates the jury to find them guilty.

3. Avoid the uncertainties of a trial.

David Serna believes that one of the best advantages of pleading guilty is avoiding a trial’s uncertainty. Juries are usually unpredictable, and prosecutors can always uncover additional evidence to convince the jury to convict the defendant. Since trials are public, pleading guilty will help the defendant avoid most media attention and unwanted attention.

Cons:

1. The case will still reflect on you criminal record.

Although there are excellent advantages in pleading guilty, David Serna believes that some risks are associated with it. The criminal record will follow the defendant for the rest of their life. Besides this consequence, the judge is still responsible for sentencing. They can generally impose a longer sentence compared to what the prosecutor suggests.

If you need any legal advice, you can reach lawyer David Serna, a nationally recognized criminal defense lawyer, via email, telephone, video conferencing, or in-person visits under strict disinfecting protocol and mask requirements.