Wisconsin Plea Bargain FAQ

July 14, 2020 | Criminal Defense Attorney

What are plea bargains, and what can they do? Plea agreements also referred to as plea bargains or plea deals, are contracts entered into between criminal defendants and local prosecutors. In exchange for pleading guilty to one or more criminal charges, prosecutors may agree to do the following: Recommend a more lenient sentence or alternative arraignment to the court Drop certain charges Not bring additional charges based on newly discovered evidence Not file certain documents that would result in sentencing enhancements Speak to the court about your cooperation and character throughout the criminal process The vast majority of criminal defendants charged with a Wisconsin felony accept a plea deal. However, agreements exist only between the defendant and local prosecutors. They do not bind the judge or the courts. Appleton judges may accept a guilty plea but refuse to impose the recommended sentence, and this will not generally nullify a plea … Continued

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Should You Take a Plea Deal?

January 9, 2020 | Criminal Defense Attorney

The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that between 90 and 95% of all criminal convictions result from guilty pleas rather than jury verdicts. The statistics are even higher for felony-level charges with studies indicating nearly 95% of state and 97% of federal felony convictions result from guilty pleas.

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