In criminal cases, a prosecutor and defense attorney may negotiate a plea bargain. This allows the defendant’s charges to be reduced, possibly dropping charges and affording the offender a more lenient sentence.
In many cases, it is possible to have a felony offense reduced to a misdemeanor. Our Arlington Heights, IL, felony defense attorney would like to discuss what felony offenses are eligible and what is involved in getting your sentence reduced.
Wobbler Crimes
Not all felony charges are eligible to be reduced to a misdemeanor charge. Only those felonies that are “wobbler” offenses have the potential for charges to be reduced to a misdemeanor.
A “wobbler” offense is a crime that can be tried as a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. Examples include:
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Drug possession