Users' questions 

Does pleading not guilty reduce your sentence?

Leia Doyle

Does pleading not guilty reduce your sentence?

In exchange for pleading guilty, the criminal defendant may receive a lighter sentence or have charges reduced. Additionally, pleading guilty avoids the uncertainty of a trial. Juries can be unpredictable. Prosecutors may uncover additional evidence that can make it more likely for a jury to convict the defendant.

What are some reasons for pleading not guilty?

Pleading not guilty means you intend to fight the criminal charge and your case may go to trial….They may want to plead guilty for a variety of reasons:

  • They know they had a few drinks and they want to be honest.
  • They don’t want to go to court.
  • They want the whole thing to be over.

    Can you drop charges against someone NSW?

    The NSW Police Domestic and Family Violence Code of Practice explains in detail that even when a protected person does not want an ADVO and/or criminal charges laid, police can go against these wishes.

    Can you be found innocent if you plead guilty?

    Instead of vacating their convictions on the basis of innocence, the prosecution offers the wrongly convicted a deal—plead guilty, have your sentenced reduced and go home. In some cases, the plea allows the defendant to still say they are innocent even while pleading guilty.

    What happens if the judge finds you guilty?

    If you are found guilty after a trial or after pleading guilty, the Judge will impose a sentence. You should talk to your lawyer or court worker about what happened in court. They will tell you if you have to pay a fine, meet with a probation officer, or follow any special rules. The judge may put you on probation.

    Is pleading no contest the same as pleading guilty?

    Pleading guilty means the defendant admits that he or she committed the crime, whereas pleading no contest means that an accused accepts the conviction but avoids a factual admission of guilt. A guilty plea in a criminal court case is when a defendant admits that he/she committed the crime with which he/she is charged.