3. Decide if you want to have a trial

When you are charged with an offence, you can either:

• plead guilty
• plead not guilty

A lawyer can help you make that decision.

Do not plead guilty to an offence you did not commit.

If you plead guilty, you will receive a sentence.

If you plead not guilty, you will have a trial and will only be sentenced if you are found guilty of the offence.  You should ask for a trial if:

• you're not guilty of the offence, or
• you're not satisfied with the Crown’s offer of how to resolve your case

There may be advantages to having a trial. It's hard to know what might happen on the day of your trial. Sometimes the Crown may not have the documents or witnesses they need to prove their case. If this happens, the Crown may even drop the charges against you or you might be offered a better way of resolving your case.