Legal Question in Criminal Law in Mississippi

DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WOULD BE THIRTY (30) YEARS IN PRISON AND/OR A FINE OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) OR BOTH.

IF YOU ARE A FIRST OFFENDER YOU MAY END UP WITH MUCH LESS THAN THIRTY (30) YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE ABILITY AND REPUTATION OF YOUR ATTORNEY. IF YOU HAVE NOT RETAINED COUNSEL YOU SHOULD DO SO IMMEDIATELY IF POSSIBLE. IF YOU END UP WITH A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY THERE IS A HIGH RISK YOU WILL SERVE TIME IN PRISON WHICH MAY OTHERWISE BE AVOIDABLE, DUE SIMPLY TO THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE OFTEN GROSSLY OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID AND DO NOT HAVE THE TIME TO DEDICATE HOURS TO A SINGLE CASE TO ARRANGE AN ACCEPTABLE PLEA BARGAIN OFFER WITH THE PROSECUTOR. PRIVATE COUNSEL GETS PAID TO MAKE REPEATED EFFORTS TO ARRANGE A JOINTLY RECOMMENDED DISPOSITION WHICH MAY ENTAIL A SENTENCE WHICH AVOIDS THE ACTUAL REQUIREMENT TO SERVE TIME IN PRISON.