If you have a drug case pending in the Cincinnati criminal courts, chances are very good that at some point you will be approached about a plea bargain. After all, more than 90% of criminal cases are resolved using plea bargains.
But, that does not necessarily mean that a plea bargain is right in your case. Still, it may be the best deal that you are going to get. So, how do you know what to do?
This is why it is never a good idea to go into court on criminal charges unrepresented by defense counsel. Even an overworked public defender is there to advise their clients when to accept a plea in a case. Face it — some cases are just not winnable. The evidence against you is too strong, you may have been caught on tape or an eye witness is unimpeachable.
Rather than go to trial and lose, your better option is to plead guilty (or nolo contendere, if that is an option) to a lesser charge. For instance, if you were accused of possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver, the prosecutor might offer to let you plead guilty to simple possession of cocaine.
But you should not suppose that every plea deal is in your best interest. In the above hypothetical situation, if you were a nurse, accepting such a plea could effectively shut down your nursing career permanently. You may decide that since you are truly innocent, you might as well roll the bones on a trial.
The bottom line is that only you can decide whether to accept or reject a plea bargain. Your criminal defense attorney can only offer their best recommendation. The final decision lies with each criminal defendant.
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