A woman Doris knows just got sent to prison for 3 years. Forgery or something. Madness, but what intruiged me was the deal she was given: plead guilty and go to prison for 3 years, contest and the max term if found guilty is 6 years.
Is that allowed? I suppose it’s to stop people who know they are guilty from wasting the court’s time?
It’s very common here and elsewhere for both minor and more serious offenses and it sucks. It boosts statistics and therefore helps careers and some would say makes for efficiency.
We don’t have plea bargains like they do in USA. The court stays in charge of sentencing.
Normal reduction for guilty plea is one-third.