Legal Question in Criminal Law in Washington

Re: Confessing to a crime

There can be. A trial is required to prove someone's guilt. A confession alone is not sufficient evidence. This rule stems from the time of the inquisition when confessions were coerced and in reality there was not even a crime committed. There are ways to have a confession suppressed as evidence--undue influence by the police being one of the most common reasons. If the person enters a plea of guilty, perhaps because the evidence against them including their confession is overwhelming, then there is no trial.

At your service,