Every year in South Carolina, countless people are investigated for criminal offenses. These can range from violence or disorderly conduct, to fraud, conspiracy, drug use or even drunk driving. Whatever the case, a criminal investigation can be an exhausting and distressing thing to go through, not to mention time-consuming. In the meantime, you could be suspended from your job, treated differently by your peers and suffer damage to your reputation.

There are many lines of defense you could consider and these depend heavily on your situation. However, as is explained here, up to about 90 percent of cases are resolved by entering into a plea deal, or plea bargain. It is not the best choice for everybody, but if you feel that conviction is inevitable, it can be a good way to reduce your potential sentence.

The benefits of this option are that it removes the uncertainty of going through a trial and risking being faced with a maximum sentence. Often a plea deal can also enable you to avoid going to jail. It works by allowing some charges against you to be dropped in exchange for you pleading guilty to other, usually lesser charges. Plea deals can enable you to get the whole process over and done with faster, so you can get back to your life.

Of course, any such decision should be given time and careful consideration. An attorney may be able to help you weigh up the pros and cons of this decision. However, when no other defense will do, negotiating a plea bargain could be the best way out.