Oneida, NY Criminal Defense Law Firms & Lawyers

Your question requires an attorney consultation. It is not a simple question that can be answered on this type of forum. There are many factors that would need to be considered and evaluated.

I have quite a few clients who initially want to just have me plead guilty for them at the arraignment. They reason with themselves, that they were in the car, driving, and were intoxicated at the time. Open and shut case, they are guilty and should plead as such. I briefly have to explain to them that they do not have any duty what so ever to convict themselves. It is the burden of the District Attorney to prove the case. I explain, it is not what the defendant knows about the case which is important, but rather what the DA knows. In the case you describe, there is an actual issue of who was driving, even before the police report is reviewed. It sounds like you should also put in a not guilty plea and give your attorney time to review the police report.

Fare evasion under the Penal Law is a crime so pleading guilty will give you a criminal record. However, there are ways to avoid that without you having to go to court.