when you plead guilty, is that an automatic conviction record? even if you are trying to qualify for the first offenders program, and are accepted, upon completion of the course, will there still be a conviction under your name? i am confused, but the public defender told me that this was the only route i should take, otherwise if i decided to plead not guilty and call the meijer people to trial, there would be no way i could win the case. please help!

