LAW OFFICES OF PETER J. CYR

When we believe—based on the evidence and the client’s personal circumstances—that pleading guilty is in our client’s best interests, we advise them accordingly and explain the reasons supporting that advice. However, the decision to enter a plea of guilty rests solely with our client.

Most guilty pleas take place only after we have reached a plea agreement with the prosecutor. In the event that our clients plead guilty pursuant to a plea agreement, our attorneys inform them of the full content of the agreement and explain the advantages, disadvantages, and potential consequences of the conviction.

In some cases, we do not reach a plea agreement with the prosecutor but nevertheless advise our client to plead guilty. This is known as “pleading open.” In such cases, there are no viable defenses, and it is in the client’s best interest to accept responsibility and thereby seek a more lenient sentence. Before our clients plead open, we advise them of the potential sentences that the judge is authorized to impose as well as the potential consequences of the conviction. The next step in such cases is a sentencing hearing in which the judge decides and imposes the sentence. Sentencing is discussed in a later section.