Does Pleading Guilty Reduce your Sentence?
If you have been charged with an offence, you are going to have a decision to make: do you plead guilty or not guilty? This is a decision you should only make after having a chance to receive legal advice about your specific situation. But First… Be Aware of What You’re Admitting. Pleading guilty is, as the name suggests, accepting that you are guilty of the crime you have been charged with including the facts to the charge.
The legal framework of criminal law in QLD can be complex. As a result, a single action or decision might have multiple different offences (all with potential defences) that could attach to it. So while it may be that you accept you did the actions that you are accused of, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should accept without question that the label that is being attached to it is correct. There are significant differences in potential sentences and outcomes depending on what type of charge is brought. An unthinking guilty plea could land you with a heavier sentence than is appropriate in the circumstances.
You should engage criminal lawyers to help you for any charge where you are looking at a significant sentence. They can guide you on the process and speak meaningfully on your behalf to the Court.
If you have been charged (whether or not you are considering a guilty plea!) then reach out and we’ll be by your side throughout the process.
