The first thing that will likely come to mind after an arrest is the lengthy criminal court process you must go through before the conclusion of your case. The criminal process can be very intimidating, whether you are guilty or not. It will still be so, even with the best criminal defense attorney by your side. Remember that you will go through all the required processes without fail to avoid compromising your situation further or facing additional criminal charges.

But the truth is that not all cases go through a jury trial. Prosecutors dismiss some cases even before the trial. They also drop charges or agree to a plea bargain in other cases. You must be prepared for any eventuality after your arrest. Thus, understanding what could happen and what you can do to enjoy a better outcome for your case is essential. The help and support of a skilled criminal lawyer will also help you navigate all processes successfully.

How Most Criminal Cases End

When you face a criminal arrest, the expectation is to face a jury trial and sentencing if the jury finds you guilty of your charges. But this is not always the case. Only a tiny percentage of criminal cases end up on trial. The majority of cases are resolved before trial. For example, the prosecutor can dismiss a criminal case before or even after filing charges in court. They do that whenever they have insufficient evidence to try a case. The prosecutor can also decide not to pursue the matter further if a defendant prevails in a preliminary hearing. You can go without further charges when the prosecutor dismisses a case before trial.

Other cases do not go to trial because a defense attorney has filed a motion to throw evidence out of court. If the court grants a motion like that, and that decision leaves the prosecution team with insufficient evidence to prove your case, the prosecutor will dismiss your charges. Your defense attorney can also advise you to take a plea bargain instead of taking your chances at trial. A plea bargain means pleading guilty to less severe charges with less serious penalties than the underlying charges. If you take a plea bargain, your case will go straight to sentencing.

All these scenarios are prevalent in the criminal justice system. Other than situations where the prosecutor is forced to dismiss charges due to insufficient evidence, the state benefits from different outcomes, for example, plea bargains. When you accept a plea bargain, it helps you and the state. A plea bargain allows you to negotiate for a more favorable outcome, whereby the court reduces your charges and the possible penalties. You can also quickly end your case and reduce the potential cost of legal representation.

On the other hand, the state can save a considerable amount of money if all cases end right after they start. The criminal court processes are long and expensive for the taxpayer. Criminal courts can save on their resources and taxpayers' money if most cases end before trial. Your chances of obtaining a fair outcome for your case are limited if you go to trial. That is why it is always a good idea to go for a plea bargain if the prosecutor agrees.

How Many Cases Go To Trial?

The police make countless arrests every year in California alone. It means that prosecutors file thousands of cases in criminal courts each year. But a large percentage of those cases do not go to trial. Most of them are dismissed or resolved during the pretrial process. Statistics show that more than 90% of criminal cases do not go through the criminal court process. It leaves us with less than 10% of cases on trial.

Prosecutors want to resolve all cases they receive from the police. However, even for them, the criminal court process can be lengthy and tedious. Though the prosecutor’s aim is usually not to avoid going to trial, most of them take advantage of plea bargains to ensure that most criminal cases are resolved and not dismissed. In some cases, they are forced by circumstances to dismiss cases, for example, due to insufficient evidence to take the case to trial.

If a case goes to trial, the prosecutor must prepare well, with irrefutable evidence and strong opening and closing arguments. They aim to win the case and ensure the perpetrator pays for their wrongdoings. In that case, prosecutors need more time, resources, and energy to prepare for the case.

You also need to prepare well for trial to avoid a guilty verdict. You start preparing for a case by hiring a skilled criminal lawyer. If the case goes to trial, your attorney must also work hard to ensure the jury delivers a not-guilty verdict. If you are wrongly accused, you must be careful with your choices during pretrial. A skilled and experienced criminal lawyer will advise you to accept a plea deal because a jury trial does not guarantee a favorable outcome. If they cannot compel the prosecutor to dismiss your charges, a plea bargain gives you the best possible way out of your situation.

But your attorney is legally required to allow you to decide if you want to face trial. You do not have to accept a plea bargain, especially if you feel strongly that you can win your case. Your attorney’s job is to explain your options and the possible outcomes, then allow you to make an informed decision. You must consider several factors before agreeing to a plea deal. Remember that a plea bargain means pleading guilty to a less severe offense. That will not work for someone facing false accusations.

Your attorney must also consider how strong the prosecutor’s evidence is. If the prosecutor has compelling evidence against you, your chances of obtaining a favorable outcome after a jury trial are minimal. Your lawyer will also consider what the plea bargain offers you and if it is significantly better than what you will likely receive after a conviction. An experienced lawyer will also consider the likely outcomes if your case goes to trial. For example, losing a trial could result in incarceration and a damaging criminal record. But even after all those considerations, you must make the final decision.

Sometimes, the prosecutor can offer you an unpleasant plea deal. Your attorney will advise you against taking it. In that case, you will take your chances with the jury. You can also decide to go to trial, even with a plea deal on the table, if you face false accusations. If you believe that your attorney can convince the jury of your innocence, you can choose to go to trial.

But even before that, a skilled criminal attorney will look for loopholes in the prosecutor’s case to have your case dismissed. Remember that prosecutors dismiss a good percentage of cases before trial. It could be that the prosecutor rushed to file your case in court to find more evidence as the case progresses. If that does not work, they will dismiss your charges. The prosecutor can also decide if they lose key evidence before trial or if an eyewitness changes their mind. The judge can also dismiss your case before trial if there is evidence that your rights were violated. For example, if the police used force or coercion to obtain evidence or searched and seized your property without a valid warrant.

Whether or not your case will go to trial will depend on the circumstances and your preference. The truth is that jury trials can drag on for weeks and sometimes months. If you wish to have your case resolved quickly so you can return to your life, your attorney can explain your options. Also, remember that it becomes expensive, even for you, if your case takes a long time to be resolved. Remember that you will need to retain a skilled attorney for that long.

The Benefits of Resolving Cases Before Trial

The fact that most criminal cases do not go to trial does not mean that criminal courts are no longer resolving issues. While prosecutors and judges sometimes dismiss cases that cannot go to trial, most criminal cases are settled before trial. Remember that plea bargains do not just benefit the defendant. They lessen the prosecutor's and judge’s work and simultaneously ensure defendants are punished for their actions (even though sometimes they receive fewer penalties than the law provides for the underlying charges).

The benefits of resolving criminal cases before trial are many, and they impact everyone involved, including the defendants. That is why plea bargains rise as criminal trials decline in the criminal justice system. Here are some noteworthy benefits to keep in mind:

Benefits to Defendants

An arrest comes with a lot of uncertainties. You do not know what will follow until deep into the court process. Some people are lucky to obtain a pretrial release right after an arrest. But the truth is that judges do not grant bail to all defendants. If your charges are serious, you are a habitual offender or a flight risk, your bail request can be denied. That means remaining in police custody until the resolution of your case. That could take several weeks and sometimes months.

It makes sense to accept a plea deal from the prosecutor if it is the only way to speed up your legal process. If you are lucky, you will only serve a small jail sentence or be sentenced to probation. A plea deal will eliminate some of the lengthy court processes like trial and sentencing and ensure that your matter is resolved quickly.

Even though you have the right to a speedy trial, criminal cases are not always solved as quickly as they should. The prosecution and defense teams need sufficient time to prepare for trial, which can push the trial dates further. If the prosecutor decides to offer a plea deal, they will do so at the beginning of the court process. That allows you to end your case quickly. Besides, you could be lucky to receive a probation sentence, allowing you to serve your punishment outside of incarceration. That means you will promptly return to your life.

Sometimes, plea deals involve alternatives to sentencing, like treatment and rehabilitation. Once you finish your alternative sentence, you are eligible for dismissal. That is also better than waiting for a trial and the uncertainty it brings.

In addition to saving you time, an earlier case resolution could save you money. Remember that once your case is resolved, you will no longer need to pay for legal services.

Benefits to the Community

The community also benefits significantly from the early resolution of criminal cases. It is a blow to the community when its people are sentenced to severe crimes involving violence, sex, and drugs. These are crimes that come with a lot of social stigma. If the prosecutor can resolve some of these cases early, it could save the community’s face.

Plea bargains are an excellent tool to help the community avoid the stigma of a rising case of criminal activity. Defendants facing serious charges can plead guilty to less severe crimes, avoid lengthy sentences, and preserve their community’s reputation. For example, if you face charges for drug possession for sale, the prosecutor can reduce your chances to simple possession to give you a second chance and safeguard your reputation. That way, you can reunite with your family after serving your sentence.

Remember that taking a case to trial does not always guarantee a conviction. Some defendants are acquitted of all their charges even in the presence of compelling evidence. If you face charges for a serious offense that has affected your relationship with your family and/or the community, an acquittal will worsen the situation. It becomes hard to reconcile with your family. Pleading guilty to a less severe offense can allow you to fix your relationship with your family. Then, you will gladly return after serving your sentence.

Additionally, criminal cases, especially those involving serious charges, are highly publicized. That kind of publicity will affect you (the defendant) and your community. If your community or family has a reputation to uphold, going to trial will seriously destroy it. Sometimes, pleading guilty to a less severe offense protects you, your family, and the community from unnecessary embarrassment.

Benefits to Prosecutors and Judges

Our criminal justice system is seriously overwhelmed. The police arrest more criminals every day than the courts, jails, and prisons can handle. As the rate of crime increases, so does the burden on taxpayers. It is a serious matter that can worsen if all criminal cases end up in court. Prosecutors already have so many issues to handle. Every day, they receive fresh cases to try. It is a great relief for them if some cases can be resolved before trial.

Judges are equally overwhelmed because they have to sit, hear, and judge every case that goes to trial. Realistically, judges can only try some issues that go through the justice system.

The courts and the criminal justice system generally lack the resources to handle all the cases they receive daily. It would put a lot of pressure on taxpayers if courts were to try half of all the instances the prosecutors receive.

That is why it benefits the criminal justice system if prosecutors can resolve some of these cases before trial. Prosecutors can thoroughly review all cases to ensure that only cases with overwhelming evidence proceed to the following process. If your case cannot go to trial, they must dismiss it. Prosecutors can also offer plea bargains to deserving defendants. Accepting a plea deal saves the prosecutor, court, and judge time and resources.

Benefits to States

The state benefits a lot when prosecutors resolve criminal cases before trial. For example, it can quickly solve most criminal cases without exploiting its resources or burdening the taxpayer. Additionally, considering that the state lacks enough facilities to hold suspected offenders, resolving criminal matters as they arise is a great relief. California prisons and jails are already overcrowded. They can no longer hold everyone who receives a guilty conviction after trial. The state does not know what to do with convicted offenders that the jails and prisons cannot accommodate.

That is why alternative sentencing and plea deals are the order of the day today. With alternative sentencing, defendants can find help and treatment to avoid reoffending in the future. Plea bargains ensure that they serve a penalty for a less severe offense.

Find a Skilled Criminal Lawyer Near Me

Do you or someone you know face criminal charges in Los Angeles and are worried about facing trial?

The truth is that not all criminal cases end up in court. You could have your issue resolved even without going to a jury trial. A skilled criminal lawyer can compel the prosecutor to dismiss your charges if they do not have enough evidence to bring the case to trial. Alternatively, the prosecutor, through your lawyer, can offer you a plea deal. It could greatly benefit you to have your issue resolved before trial. We recommend working alongside a skilled criminal lawyer for advice and legal guidance.

Our Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer team will explain your options and help you make the best choice that will result in a favorable outcome. Call us at 310-502-1314 to discuss your case in more detail.