QUESTION
I feel like I was forced to plead guilty to a theft charge; what can I do?
Asked on Dec 27th, 2013 on Criminal Law - Maine
More details to this question:
I feel like I was forced to plead guilty to my theft charge. I wanted to go to trial. The judge told me that I was not able to be appointed a lawyer, and failed to mention that I could buy one for my trial. I arrived at my trial and I was not able to talk to the lawyer of the day. He told my sister, that was there for my support, that I looked like someone who would steal. He kept pressuring me to plead guilty because it was only a $100.00 fine and a misdemeanor charge. I was then called up to the trial, and I had started crying because I have PTSD and anxiety which I have been diagnosed with. The lawyer of the day then gave me a deal with bail and deferred disposition for one year. I felt like I had no choice, and I felt like that was my only option. I'm not sure if I can do anything about this. Please let me know. Thank you.
1 ANSWER
3 Awards
You can appeal, but you need a lawyer and you have to do it in 30 days. You can file a PCRA within one year. You also need a lawyer for that. Once you plead guilty it is really hard to challenge on appeal as the court probably asked you a million questions to make sure you understodd what you were doing and you probably said yes to all of them. You mention "deferred disposition". They dont call it that in my county but that usually means as long as you don't get in trouble until you come back to court, the charge is withdrawn. I would ask the lawyer or anyone you can if that is what you received . IF it is, you may just want to forget about appealing and just behave for one year.
Answered on Dec 27th, 2013 at 3:39 PM
William R. Pelger, Attorney Munhall, Pennsylvania 412-461-1900