Being charged with a crime in Colorado is not the end of the road for your freedom. You will be able to work with a defense attorney from the minute you are processed at the police station through to the end of your case. A common method used to help keep people out of jail or to acquire a shorter sentence is that of plea bargaining.
There are three areas of plea bargaining that attorneys use to help their clients. The first of those is charge bargaining. This includes the bargaining of the different charges that the defendant will face when appearing in court. For the most part, if the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge, the prosecutor will usually drop the higher charge.
The second form of plea bargaining is known as sentence bargaining. This type of bargaining occurs when the defense attorney works with the prosecutor to get the sentence lowered for his or her client. The defendant will usually plead guilty to the original charge instead of a lesser charge, but will receive a shorter sentence than what is recommended for the charge.
The third form of plea bargaining is known as fact bargaining. This type of bargaining occurs when the defendant will admit to some of the facts presented in the case in exchange for the prosecutor not introducing other facts into the case. This is a form of bargaining that is not used too often.
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Colorado Springs it’s in your best interest to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney. You will want to have the knowledge on your side when negotiating a plea with the prosecutor.
