Whether To Acquire An Attorney

[stshoops]

my nephew has been charged with a $200 misdermeanor. we are trying to determine if he should just plead guilty and pay the 200 or plead not guilty and pay the expense for an attorney. he tells me is is not guilty and plans to plead that way. pls advise.

[panther10758]

Having a criminal conviction carries much more than a $200.00 fine. He will have a criminal record which could prevent him from getting the job he wants and/or promotions. If he is not guilty then he should plead that way in my opinion

[zedex]

Any criminal charge should have an attorney as the penalties are usually far worse than the fine imposed

[aaron]

He can see if he's eligible for a court-appointed lawyer. That's usually the least expensive option.