Pleading Not Guilty

“Not Guilty” is one of three different pleas that you can enter for criminal charges in the United States. Unlike “Guilty” and “No Contest”, pleading Not Guilty means that you are contesting the charges that have been brought against you. When you are arrested of a crime, it is important to remember that you are not automatically sentenced. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to contest the charges if they wish, which means that the case will go to trial. If you have been arrested, consider consulting with a criminal defense lawyer to help you decide which plea would be most ideal for your case.

A plea of Not Guilty may be made for a number of different reasons. Someone who believes that they are innocent may want to contest the charges altogether and seek a Not Guilty verdict. Others who are guilty of the crime may enter a Not Guilty plea because they are seeking a lesser sentence. For example, if someone has been charged with murder but did not have intent to kill, he or she may plead Not Guilty to murder to get the charge reduced to manslaughter.

Others may plead Not Guilty with the intent to plead insanity. An insanity plea argues that the defendant was not in his or her right mind at time of the crime and therefore should be convicted of a lesser charge or should have the charges dropped altogether.

When you plead Not Guilty, your case will go to trial and the prosecution will aggressively seek a conviction. An experienced criminal defense attorney will fight on your behalf to protect your rights and to scrutinize all evidence and testimony brought against you. If the evidence and witness accounts are found to be weak and the prosecution can not prove that you are guilty, you may receive a Not Guilty verdict.

Contact Us

Don’t enter the courtroom feeling unprepared to defend yourself against criminal charges. For sound legal advice and assistance with deciding your plea and defending your case in court, please contact the experienced West Palm Beach criminal lawyers of Eric N. Klein & Associates, P.A. today at 561-353-2800.