When Should You Accept a Plea Deal for Your Pasadena DUI Charge?

At what point should you plead guilty to your Pasadena DUI charges?

How do you know whether to fight all the way to trial or whether to cut your losses and accept a reduced set of punishments?

Believe it or not, the answers to these questions are not clear cut. Plea bargaining a Pasadena DUI case is an art and a science… although you neglect the “science part” at your own risk.

Here are two factors to weigh heavily:

1. The opinion of an experienced successful Pasadena DUI defense attorney.

Your attorney should have lots of practical experience dealing with cases like yours. So if he or she suggests that you plead guilty to a lesser offense, consider that advice strongly. Of course, not all attorneys will always agree on the best tactics and strategies to be used. If you want a second opinion about your case, please connect with attorney Michael Kraut of the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers today. Not only is Mr. Kraut a well regarded Pasadena DUI attorney, but he’s also a former prosecutor, so he’s spent time negotiating DUI cases on both sides.

2. What you’ll risk if you lose vs. what you’ll get if you win.

If you fight the charges tooth and nail and lose, what would the worst case outcome be? How would that be different from what would happen if you accepted a plea arrangement? Will you have to spend several more weeks in jail? Will you lose your license for a full year instead of a month or two? Weigh the pros and cons of the extreme outcomes against one another. Consider them in the context of the probabilities.

For instance, speaking frankly, your attorney might think that you’ll only have a 15% chance of prevailing at a trial. Is that risk worth it to you? Is the expense of going all the way to trial worth it? There is no one right answer for everyone.

To deal with your Pasadena DUI charges, turn to the thorough attorneys at the Kraut Criminal & DUI Lawyers. Mr. Kraut is a widely respected Harvard Law School educated ex-prosecutor. He amassed a track record of over 99% success at jury trials when he was with the DA’s office.

If you have been arrested for a DUI in Pasadena or you are under investigation for driving under the influence in Southern California, please contact Pasadena criminal defense attorney Michael Kraut for 24/7 assistance by phone at (626) 345-1899 or toll free at (888) 334-6344 or online. We’re located at 790 East Colorado Boulevard, 9th floor, Pasadena, California 91101.