You’ve probably heard the phrase “plea bargain” at some point in your life. Whether on television, from a loved one, or in conversations with your attorney about your own court case. When you are charged with a crime, the term “plea” refers to your response to the allegation of that crime. You can enter a plea of not guilty, guilty, or no contest to charges that have been filed against you. Below is a basic explanation of what each plea type means.

Not Guilty

This type of plea is usually entered at the time of your arraignment – even if you understand that you made a mistake, and you ultimately plan to plead guilty to resolve your case. In fact, in most circumstances the court isn’t set up for you to plead guilty at arraignment. An initial ‘not guilty’ plea doesn’t mean that you’re not taking responsibility for your actions or denying them. It just allows you more time to look into the offense that you are being charged with, review the evidence, and to consult with an attorney. A criminal conviction can have devastating consequences. There are many advantages to not rushing into a guilty plea and they should be carefully considered before you go to court and say that you are guilty of committing a crime.

Guilty

Entering a guilty plea is admitting to the offense(s) that you are being charged with. If you plead guilty, the court will find you guilty and impose a sentence – which is exactly why it is always in your best interests to consult with an experienced attorney before making this decision.

No Contest

A no contest plea means you neither agree or disagree with the charges against you, and you are just not contesting the case. There is almost no functional difference between a no contest plea and a guilty plea. Pleading guilty is saying, “I did this.”  Like, in a DUII case, you’re admitting that you drove while under the influence of something. Pleading no contest means that you’re not actually admitting to anything; but you understand that if you had a trial, you might lose and, therefore, you prefer to resolve the case by entering a plea, entering diversion, etc.  Thus, you are not contesting the charges – hence, “no contest.” There are times when this difference is important, so your lawyer needs to guide you through what is optimal for your circumstances.

If you’ve been arrested in Oregon for a DUII, please contact us now for your free consultation. Of course, we hope our conversation leads to us working together, but regardless you’ll get straightforward answers to your questions, so you can sleep easier. While working with Reynolds Defense Firm, we will help you better understand the court process, what you can expect with regards to a timeline, and what consequences you might be facing. Our team of DUI attorneys will always advise you to do every single thing you can to make an educated decision in how to resolve your case.