Pleading Not Guilty Can Be a Smart Move

In a previous blog entry, we shared news of a Phoenix woman and her live-in boyfriend being arrested for huge quantities of drugs – including meth, a meth lab, LSD, cocaine, marijuana and heroin – as well as counterfeiting and child abuse. The couple have since entered a plea of “not guilty” at their recent arraignment. In this article, we’ll talk about the purposes of entering pleas of not guilty.

Why Plead Not Guilty?

To state the obvious, if you’re innocent, the logical thing to do is to plead “not guilty.” If you are indeed guilty, you can still enter the “not guilty” plea. By doing so, you are in essence forcing the prosecutor to bring forth convincing evidence that removes any reasonable doubt that you are innocent.

What Happens After Pleading “Not Guilty”?

Pleas are entered during arraignments – the first part of the legal procedure for going to trial. After that, your case will be scheduled for the next steps, usually a pretrial or trial.

You Can Change Your Plea

Your initial plea is not binding. In other words, you can change your plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” – and vice versa – practically any time before a judge renders the final judgement in your case. This is usually done when a prosecutor offers a plea deal – a type of bargain that will reduce or even dismiss charges against you in exchange for switching your plea.

This is Why You Need The Oswalt Law Group

If you’re looking for justifiable reasons why you need a lawyer skilled in defense law, this article is it. A criminal defense attorney can literally be the difference maker in serving a full sentence or being able to go home with no charges. If you’re facing criminal charges, we urge you to contact the Oswalt Law Group at (602) 225-2222 for a free consultation.