Justice Navigator
Pleas, Convictions, Sentences, and Appeals
Understand what happens after you're charged with a crime.
What is a Plea?
A plea is your formal answer in court to the criminal charges against you. You usually make your plea at the first court date, the arraignment.
Types of Pleas
- Not Guilty: This is the most common plea. It means you are telling the court that the prosecutor cannot prove you committed the crime. The case will then continue toward a trial.
- Guilty: This means you are admitting to the court that you committed the crime. If you plead guilty, there will be no trial, and the judge will move on to deciding your sentence.
Plea Bargains
Most cases end with a plea bargain. This is a deal between you (with your lawyer) and the prosecutor. You agree to plead guilty, and in exchange, the prosecutor agrees to a lesser charge or a specific, often lighter, sentence. Your lawyer will explain all your options.
A conviction means you have been found guilty of a crime. This can happen in two ways: you plead guilty, or a judge or jury finds you guilty after a trial. A conviction becomes part of your permanent criminal record.
A sentence is the punishment a judge gives after a conviction. The judge decides the sentence based on the seriousness of the crime, the law, and information about the defendant. Sentences can include:
- Fines: Paying money to the court.
- Probation: Staying in the community under supervision.
- Community Service: Working a certain number of hours for free.
- Jail or Prison: Being incarcerated for a period of time.
If you are convicted after a trial, you have the right to an appeal. An appeal is NOT a new trial. It's a request for a higher court to review the records of your trial to see if any serious legal mistakes were made by the judge, lawyers, or jury. If the higher court finds a major error that made the trial unfair, it can reverse the conviction or order a new trial.