PLEA AGREEMENTS
The vast majority of criminal cases are resolved by plea agreements or plea bargains. To effectively negotiate such a settlement a criminal defense attorney needs to have substantial trial experience. This allows counsel to be able to more accurately assess the likelihood of success at trial to allow the client to make an informed decision on whether or not to accept a plea offer. Such experience also puts prosecutors on notice that defense counsel
Effective plea bargaining also requires knowledge of sentencing provisions that can be included in the negotiations. Plea agreements may include negotiations to reduce charges, dismiss charges or obtain reduced sentences. An effective and experienced criminal defense attorney will always pursue both preparation for trial and negotiations to resolve a case. Mr. Metos’ experience in the criminal defense practice has made him a very effective negotiator.