Typically, witnesses do not speak at sentencing hearings. However, as with any rule, there are exceptions. Many times, especially in more serious cases, the victim of the case is allowed to give a victim impact statement. The judge will also listen if the defendant wants to say anything or give any type of statement. You need to understand what happens at a sentencing hearing in Los Angeles.
Will I Have Any Input In My Sentencing In Los Angeles County?
You, as a criminal defendant, will definitely have some impact on your sentencing. You are going to tell your sentencing attorney what happened, from your perspective, and give them your version of events.
Then, your criminal defense attorney will translate your events in a professional manner. If it's a serious enough case that a judge is going
to be making the decision, then a lot of times it is a good idea for you to speak for yourself. The sentencing hearing is different for misdemeanor and felony cases.
The judge will take that into consideration in order to get a feel for whether you have any remorse for what happened, whether you understand what you did wrong, and whether you are going to do something like this again.
Opportunities For Further Reductions In The Sentencing Process
The sentence you receive is going to depend on whether or not your attorney and the prosecutor worked out a deal beforehand.
If they worked out an agreement and you signed the plea forms, then that's going to be the sentence. The judge is not going to change it at the last minute.
On the other hand, if it's a situation where the judge will be deciding the sentence, your attorney can put in a written sentencing petition to the court. He or she can then make an oral argument to the judge to try to convince the judge to give you the sentence you want.
The best criminal defense attorneys can talk on their feet and are successful because they know their client's case and what's important to their client.
What Can I Do To Mitigate The Outcome In My Los Angeles Criminal Case?
The first thing you can do to mitigate the outcome of your case is to sit down with your attorney and give them a complete, honest, and accurate assessment of what happened.
Even if it makes you look bad, your attorney needs to know in order to counter some of that when the prosecutor brings it up. The next thing that you should do is to follow the instructions of your attorney and provide any information he or she asks for.
Finally, prepare a statement. Talk to your attorney about it and, if it's a situation where a statement is appropriate, you will want to show remorse without giving excuses. By you taking responsibility and owning what you did, the judge will get a better indication that you've learned your lesson and you may deserve a break.
For more information on Witnesses At A Sentencing Hearing In LA, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (213) 542-0979 today.
