Utah Plea Negotiations and Plea
Bargains - Criminal Lawyer Salt Lake
Many attorneys claim to fight aggressively for their clients.
But an aggressive approach may not always be the most effective
approach. A better outcome can often be
achieved through a negotiated resolution. Stephen Howard is
an
experienced Utah
criminal
defense
attorney with a record of
successfully negotiating resolutions to some of the most serious
criminal charges on the books. He also has a success
record
at trial to back up his clients in the event negotiations break down.
Stephen
Howard's record of successful plea negotiations includes
misdemeanor
probation offers or pleas in abeyance on serious charges including
child abuse homicide,
aggravated
robbery,
aggravated
burglary, aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felony
drug
distribution, felony firearms violations, felony
theft,
and more.
Plea Negotiations Strategy in Utah
It is best to approach any negotiation from
a position of strength. In a criminal case, that means having
an
experienced criminal defense attorney with a
record of
successfully fighting cases. Stephen Howard has
achieved not
guilty verdicts or outright dismissals on serious
felony
cases
including aggravated
robbery,
aggravated
assault,
burglary,
fraud,
forgery,
theft, and
more.
Achieving a position of strength
for purposes of criminal plea negotiations also requires a thorough
understanding of criminal procedure and case law, and how those laws
apply to your particular case. To successfully engage in
negotiations, an attorney has to understand both the strengths and
weaknesses of the case, and the realistic chances of
success given the facts and circumstances of the case. This
kind of understanding requires time and experience to develop. During
his career, Stephen Howard has handled literally thousands of case,
with thousands of
serious
felony and misdemeanor charges.
Successful plea negotiations also require an attorney who
understands the art of diplomacy. The best negotiated
resolutions
are rarely achieved by being rude or
overly-aggressive.
There
is
an art involved in a successful plea negotiation. The
successful
negotiator has to understand what his client needs from the prosecutor,
and also what his client can offer the to prosecutor. The
successful negotiator is sometimes required to find creative ways to
meet the needs of both sides, without compromising his client's
position
or needs.
What if Negotiations Fail in a Utah Criminal Case?
Negotiation efforts do not always result in an acceptable offer from
the prosecuting attorney. If
you choose to take your case to trial, Stephen Howard has the
experience, skill, and knowledge necessary to take your case all the
way.
No attorney can guarantee you a not guilty verdict
at
trial,
as there are certain risks involved in every jury or bench trial. Your
attorney can advise you on what to do. But
ultimately you are the only one who can decide to accept an offer, or
reject an offer and take the case to trial. As you make that
decision, you deserve to have the best possible options to choose from.
You
need an attorney with the negotiating skills to get you the best offer,
and the trial skills to take the case all the way if the prosecutor
refuses to make a reasonable offer.
Finding an Experienced Criminal Lawyer in Salt Lake City, Utah
Based in
Salt
Lake City, criminal defense attorney Stephen Howard offers
legal services to clients throughout Utah.
Contact us today to
schedule an initial consultation with a Utah
criminal lawyer.
See the difference experience can make.