Some Ways to Reduce Your Virginia Criminal Sentence
Spending time in jail can be quite a terrifying experience. Having a criminal sentence slapped on you can take away just about everything you have ever loved. You will not be able to continue your life and your job, and your family will have to continue without you. However, there is a way out. Your sentencing can be reduced before you are taken to jail or after you have begun your time at the jail.
Reducing a criminal sentence is dependent on the law of the state where you were convicted. Also, note that you might need an expert, such as criminal attorney Jason A. Barlow, to get started—a professional whose reputation precedes them.
Interested in knowing how this works? This article provides details on how to go about your criminal sentence.
Defining Criminal Sentences
Sentencing refers to the aspect of a criminal case when the judge, having looked through all evidence and received the jury’s decision, delivers a conviction.Below are some possible penalties in a criminal case:
- Community service
- Fines
- House arrest
- Probation
- Treatment programs
- Prison time
- Restitution
It is noteworthy to point out the fact that the most severe penalty for a criminal case is jail time. It does not matter what kind of jail—whether county, federal, or state—it still has the same effect. While all these jail types are operated differently, they all mean the same thing: a loss of one’s time and privacy. You lose many of your rights by being in jail, such as the right to privacy and the right to vote.
Being sentenced does not mean you will spend that exact amount of time in jail. Many jails offer parole for different reasons; the most popular is for good behavior. Many states, such as California, New York, Ohio, and Illinois, have an undefined sentencing jail structure that permits discretionary parole. Some others, such as Virginia, Texas, Arizona, and Florida, utilize a determinate sentencing framework that does not permit discretionary parole.
Can the Penalty Be Reduced Before or After Sentencing?
To answer this question, it is important first to understand what a plea bargain is and how it can help to reduce penalties.What Is a Plea Bargain?
Plea bargains are agreements between the prosecutors and defendants where each party seeks to agree to certain charges in a bid to initiate some benefits. Plea bargains help defendants plead guilty to avoid a criminal trial. This way, the defendant gets a lighter sentence. Pleading to a lesser offense will get some other charges dropped, which will, in turn, reduce the maximum sentence.Your lawyer is the best person to plead this for you, as they are the only ones prosecutors and judges will consider. In fact, the mix of a good lawyer and some favorable decisions can get you probation instead of jail time.
Back to the main question.
There are specific times when it is possible to attempt to reduce your sentence. Before sentencing, you will need to push a plea agreement, where you might get the prosecutor to agree to a lesser sentence. However, your lawyer will have to show evidence that supports why the prosecutor and judge should agree to something less than what was originally contemplated. After you begin your sentence, your lawyer can file for a sentence reduction to ensure you do not spend a good portion of your life in prison.
Conclusion
Life is unpredictable, and sometimes, even unintentional actions can lead to criminal charges. Criminal sentences can be a complicated and difficult ordeal for anyone who is granted this sentence. It is important to know in advance how possible it is to argue for a reduced criminal sentence or even request probation. As long as you have the right criminal lawyer handling your case, this should be an option and one you should take. After all, opportunity comes, but once—if there is a chance to reduce jail time, take it.Do You Need An Attorney?
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Posted - 11/21/2024
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