Like other common law jurisdictions, the Crown can also agree to withdraw some charges against the defendant in exchange for a guilty plea. This has become standard procedure for certain offences such as impaired driving.
A Basis of Plea enables a defendant to explain his version of events and the extent of culpability accepted. For example, a defendant can plead guilty to an offence of assault but on a basis that a weapon was not used, as may have been alleged by the Prosecution.
Rarely, a defendant may refuse to plead when asked, either directly ("I withhold my plea") or indirectly (by staying silent). If this is the case, the magistrates will enter a plea of not guilty on the defendant's behalf and proceed ingly.
If you plead guilty at the outset your case will not go to trial and you could be sentenced immediately in the magistrates' court. For more serious offences you will have to go to the Crown Court to be sentenced. Find out more about sentencing hearings. If you plead guilty you will get a reduction in your sentence.
Many successful criminal prosecutions in the United States end not with jury trials , but with plea bargains. Plea bargains are agreements between defendants and prosecutors in which defendants agree to plead guilty to some or all of the charges against them in exchange for concessions from the prosecutors .
Offenders who plead guilty to an offence will receive a discount to their sentence. If a guilty plea is entered at the first available opportunity (which will usually be considered to be at their first court appearance) then a reduction of one-third will be applied to the sentence.
If your guilty plea is accepted, the judge finds you guilty. At a sentencing hearing, a sentence will be suggested by your lawyer and the Crown. The judge, however, can give you a different sentence from the one suggested. The sentence may, for example, be stricter.
Many successful criminal prosecutions in the United States end not with jury trials , but with plea bargains. Plea bargains are agreements between defendants and prosecutors in which defendants agree to plead guilty to some or all of the charges against them in exchange for concessions from the prosecutors .
Pleading guilty means that you agree that you broke the law. If you are pleading guilty, your case can happen on the same day. Your case may be adjourned (put off) to another day if your charges are serious and you need more time to prepare.
Pleading guilty means that you admit you did the crime. If you plead guilty, the court will decide what should happen next. This could be a fine or prison sentence, or a community sentence.