When you are facing a drunk driving charge, one of the choices you have to make is how you are going to plead to the charge. You can choose to plead guilty or not guilty. While many people will automatically want to plead not guilty, others may consider a guilty plea. There are several reasons for this.
If you know that you were driving drunk, you might think about a guilty plea. It is important for you to remember that pleading guilty is an admission of guilt, so you shouldn’t plead guilty if you didn’t actually drive drunk.
There is a chance that a guilty plea could mean that you don’t face as harsh of a sentence. Often, prosecutors will recommend shorter times in jail, lower fines, or less community service. You should make sure that this is what is going to happen in your case. You might consider finding out if you can get a plea bargain that would outline what the prosecution would seek.
You may spend less money and time on your case if you plead guilty. In some cases, DUIs might take a year to get resolved. That means you will likely have multiple court dates, which means having to take time off of work and spending time away from your family.
In some cases, diversion programs and other options might be available. Make sure that you know the possibilities before you decide on your plea. This can take some research, so make sure that you have all of your questions answered before you make any decisions about your Maryland case.
Source: FindLaw, “Should I Plead Guilty to DUI?,” Christopher Coble, Esq., accessed Sep. 23, 2016