[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/dont-plead-guilty\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/dont-plead-guilty\/","headline":"Don\u2019t Plead Guilty Before Reading This","name":"Don\u2019t Plead Guilty Before Reading This","description":"If you have been thinking about making a guilty plea for a criminal charge the following may be one of the most important things you ever read. When you face a criminal charge, your first hearing will be an arraignment. Typically, a defendant will not enter a \u201cguilty\u201d...","datePublished":"2017-06-19","dateModified":"2025-07-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/garylemel-user\/#Person","name":"Gary Lemel","url":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/garylemel-user\/","identifier":10,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/647e6af1d8f8d5c50443a8d8194e4625254b579651867ac1e1355ca917ca0f6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/647e6af1d8f8d5c50443a8d8194e4625254b579651867ac1e1355ca917ca0f6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"McKinney, Tucker & Lemel","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/MTLLaw-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/MTLLaw-logo.png","width":387,"height":95}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dont-plead-guilty.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/dont-plead-guilty.jpg","height":334,"width":500},"url":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/dont-plead-guilty\/","about":["Criminal Law"],"wordCount":684,"articleBody":"If you have been thinking about making a guilty plea for a criminal charge the following may be one of the most important things you ever read.When you face a criminal charge, your first hearing will be an arraignment. Typically, a defendant will not enter a \u201cguilty\u201d plea at this stage of a case. Instead, a criminal defense lawyer can represent you at this hearing and enter a \u201cnot guilty\u201d plea on your behalf.One of the most frustrating things for me as a criminal defense attorney is to watch someone appear at their first court appearance and plead guilty as charged without the assistance of a lawyer. Time and time again, I have witnessed decisions being made by individuals who don\u2019t understand the long term consequences of a guilty plea. Truth be told, there are actually many other options that might have been available to them. For many of these individuals, they think that \u201cjust paying the fine\u201d is the easy way out of their criminal charge.\u00a0While it may be the \u201ceasy\u201d way at first glance, it is usually far from the best way.Here are some examples of how pleading guilty can have a powerful negative impact on people\u2019s lives:I have seen college students plead guilty to alcohol offenses, not knowing that their scholarships and even ability to attend college may be lost.I have seen scared people pleading guilty to driving offense, not knowing the dramatic impact their plea will have on their driver\u2019s license.I have seen people plead guilty to high court offenses thinking they got a \u201cdeal\u201d when they don\u2019t know that their job, their ability to own certain property, even their ability to travel will be lost.You get the picture.When a person goes to court without a lawyer at their side, they may not realize just how dramatically the odds are stacked against them.\u00a0Police officers and prosecutors are trained to know the system and they are not on the side of the defendant. The judge is a neutral party; a judge can\u2019t advise someone they are making a bad decision and is not under any obligation to let a defendant know about options they may have.There is no such thing as \u201cguilty with an explanation\u201d, a phrase I hear all too often when watching an unrepresented person enter a plea. By pleading guilty, you are waiving your rights and will be convicted! Once you plead guilty, they turn the power over to the judge to determine punishment, regardless of what explanation might be offered. Sometimes the \u201cexplanation\u201d makes matters much worse! As I have watched this happen, I am forced to grit my teeth and wish that the individual had taken the time to consult an attorney, rather than take the \u201ceasy\u201d route.As\u00a0an experienced criminal defense attorney, I have found that a careful review of charges will place an accused person in a much better position. An attorney who has experience in the criminal justice system will know the routes through the maze of that system. That attorney will be able to analyze a case for technical flaws or possible defenses. That attorney will be able to tell you whether the prosecutor can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (because you should never have to prove your innocence!) Most of all, an experienced attorney will be able to make sure you know ALL of the consequences of a plea, beyond what happens while at court.Hiring a\u00a0DUI Defense Lawyer\u00a0does not mean that someone who is accused won\u2019t enter a guilty plea. Hiring a lawyer who has worked extensively in the criminal justice system, however, means that every option will be explored and that all possible outcomes will be considered.\u00a0Only after an accused person has all of this information should they even consider entering a plea.Gary Lemel\u00a0has served as a\u00a0criminal lawyer\u00a0to citizens of York County and South Carolina since 1996.To get help with your criminal case.\u00a0Please Call Us (803) 328-1848, OR Fill in the form below."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Don\u2019t Plead Guilty Before Reading This","item":"https:\/\/www.mtllawfirm.com\/blog\/dont-plead-guilty\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]