Of course, whether or not an attorney will be able to plead you down to a lesser offense greatly depends on the presence of any aggravating factors – such as if you have any prior DWI offenses or if there was an underage passenger in the vehicle at the time of the DWI arrest.
A DWI plea bargain may be an attractive option for you if you do not want to risk taking the case to trial and losing. While a trial outcome can be unpredictable, a plea bargain provides both the defense and the prosecution some form of control over the case’s result.
On the side of the prosecution, a plea bargain means being able to save time and money, as well as securing a conviction. On the side of the defendant, a plea bargain means increasing the chances of receiving a lesser sentence. The prosecution may just agree to drop some charges and reduce the seriousness of the crime. The prosecution may also agree to a particular sentence and make it part of the agreement, and recommend this sentence to the judge during sentencing. In some instances, the prosecutor may agree to recommend probation instead of jail time.
Of course, the judge does not have to agree to a plea agreement, regardless of the promises of the prosecution to the defendant. If the judge accepts the plea, however, the outcome is final. In most instances though, prosecutors tend to have the trust of the judges.
Keep in mind that the legal services of a good DWI attorney can greatly affect the outcome of your case. An attorney may be able to bring up several defenses that will successfully plead you to a lesser offense.