Guilty pleas
Guilty pleas are when you tell a court you admit the crime you are charged with and ask to be sentenced for it.
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Click here for a detailed guide on how to prepare for your sentence.
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Why do people enter a guilty plea?
If you are guilty and the police can prove so, then being sentenced has many advantages. The greatest benefit of pleading guilty is that you receive a 25% discount on the sentence. Your sentence will also be reduced because guilty pleas reflect remorse and contrition.Â
When do I plead guilty?
Depending on the seriousness of the charge, you may be sentenced on the first day you have court for a less serious charge that finalises in the Local Court, or more than a year later for a serious charge that finalises in the Local, District or Supreme Court.Â
What are the sentencing options a court has?Â
The court has many sentencing options at its disposal.
These include:
- Fines
- Section 10 – No Conviction.
- Conditional Release Orders with no conviction
- Conditional Release Orders with conviction
- Community Correction Orders with or without community service.
- Intensive Correction Orders with or without community service
- ImprisonmentÂ
- Section 14
How do I prepare for my sentence?
Our criminal lawyers have written a detailed article on obtaining a lenient sentence.
You can read the 15 steps to follow for a lenient sentence here.