Three Things That Will Impact Your DUI Plea Bargaining Agreement in Virginia

Drunk driving charges can bring a lot of uncertainty to your life. You, understandably, want to know what, if any, consequences you face for the charges that have been filed against you. Instead of leaving your fate up to a judge or jury, you may be interested in trying to settle your criminal case. In a DUI lawsuit, as in any criminal case, any potential settlement will be reached through a process known as plea bargaining.

What’s Important in the VA DUI Plea Bargaining Process

Before you engage in plea bargaining the DUI charges against you, it is important to understand three important things that can influence the outcome of the plea bargaining process. These things include:

• Your goals for a plea bargaining agreement. It is important to think about why you might want to enter a plea bargain agreement so that you can assess whether any proposed settlements meet your goals. You might want to enter a plea bargain agreement because you are concerned about a more severe sentence if you are convicted of DUI, because of the financial and emotional costs of a trial, or for other personal reasons.

• The prosecutor’s motivations for plea bargaining. The prosecutor may want the certainty of a conviction without the time and dedication of resources that a trial requires.

• The quality of the evidence against you. If your lawyer analyzes the evidence against you and concludes that the government has a strong case, then you may decide to enter a plea bargain rather than taking your chances of being convicted of more significant crimes at trial.

A successful plea bargain depends on the agreement that is reached after considering the factors described above.

Talk to Your DUI Defense Lawyer About Plea Bargaining

A plea bargain is a compromise. If you enter into a plea bargain, then you may be pleading guilty to some criminal charge and accepting some consequences for your plea. This may or may not be in your best interest. Before you decide whether to engage in the plea bargaining process, it is important to speak with an experienced Virginia DUI defense lawyer. If, together, you and your lawyer decide that plea bargaining is the right thing for you to do, then your lawyer will handle the plea bargaining negotiations on your behalf to make sure that your rights are protected.

To learn more about your legal options after a Virginia drunk driving charge, please call The Wilson Law Firm today for a free and confidential consultation. You can also download a free copy of our Virginia DUI/DWI Arrest Survival Guide right now for more information.