Once a Jacksonville Criminal Attorney enters a plea of not guilty on behalf of a Jacksonville Criminal Defendant, she must diligently move forward with the case. This consist of acquiring discovery (evidence, witnesses, documents, recording, etc.) that the State Attorney has in his or her possession. A criminal defendant will enter a plea of not guilty for several reasons (listed below).
- The obvious reason is that the defendant is not guilty.
- A defendant will plead not guilty, because the case requires further investigation. The Jacksonville Criminal Attorney needs time to review the evidence against her client, search for witnesses and exculpatory evidence, take depositions, and determine if there are any constitutional violations.
- A Jacksonville Criminal Defendant may be overcharged. That is, he or she is guilty of a crime, but a lesser offense, not the crime charged.
- The Jacksonville Criminal Attorney and the State Attorney may be in the process of negotiating a plea agreement. They need time to agree upon a sentence, so there may be a negotiated disposition of the case.
If you are facing criminal charges in Jacksonville, Florida or the surrounding counties, contact a Jacksonville Criminal Defense Lawyer.