tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12900311.post111878721722671287..comments2024-03-28T05:06:03.458+00:00Comments on Diary of a Criminal Solicitor: Pleading GuiltyGavinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08500048413933214232noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12900311.post-1118788168916399622005-06-14T23:29:00.000+01:002005-06-14T23:29:00.000+01:00You are right, guilty pleas at an early stage get ...You are right, guilty pleas at an early stage get up to a third off.<BR/><BR/>But in advising a Client you have to balance up the evidence on one side, and their account on the other. It is a little bit like gambling. If the evidence is strong the odds of the Client winning are long such as 100-1. If the evidence is less than compelling the odds are far better of winning, say 5-1. The Client's account may raise a defence. So if the Client says that he has a defence but the evidence is strong I tell them that although on their account they are not guilty the chances of success are X. I then throw in what the sentence would be if they pleaded guilty or were found guilty after a trial - then the decision on their plea is down to them.<BR/><BR/>I cannot force a Client to plead guilty, much like a doctor cannot force a patient to have an operation.Gavinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08500048413933214232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12900311.post-1118787546248001362005-06-14T23:19:00.000+01:002005-06-14T23:19:00.000+01:00I thought that these days the earliest opportunity...I thought that these days the earliest opportunity for a guilty plea resulted in the lowest sentence, and furthermore thought that was what defence solicitors would advise if the client was clearly guilty. <BR/><BR/>Is that not the case?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com