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Plea Agreements Generally

When a defendant has been charged with a crime, it is his decision whether to enter a guilty or not guilty plea to the offense. Often times, a defendant enters a guilty plea based upon a plea agreement. Many prosecutors offer defendants plea agreements or bargains in order to ascertain a guilty plea from the defendant.

PROSTITUTION, PIMPING, & PANDERING

A person commits the offense of prostitution when he or she knowingly offers to engage, agrees to engage, or engages in sexual conduct for money with another person. A person also commits the offense of prostitution when he or she knowingly solicits another person in a public place to engage in sexual conduct for money.

CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD ABUSE

A person commits the offense of credit card or debit card abuse when he or she presents a credit card or a debit card knowing that the card was not issued to him or her or that the card had expired or was revoked, uses a fictitious credit card or debit card with the intent to obtain a benefit, steals a credit card or a debit card knowing that it was stolen, buys a credit card or a debit card knowing that the person who is selling the card is not the cardholder, sells a credit card or a debit card without being the issuer, or signs or uses another person's credit card or debit card without the other person's consent. The offense may also be committed by possessing a credit card or a debit card that has not been issued to the person.

UNLAWFUL SALE OR TRANSFER OF WEAPONS

In some states, a person commits an offense if he or she sells, rents, leases, or lends a handgun to another person with the knowledge that the person intends to use the handgun unlawfully or intends to use the handgun in the commission of an unlawful act. A "handgun" for purposes of this offense is any firearm that is designed, made, or adapted to be fired with one hand, such as a pistol or a revolver.

Joinder of Offenses

If a defendant is charged with multiple offenses, the prosecution may file a motion to join the offenses in order for the defendant to be tried in a single proceeding. Although some prejudice may result from permitting the joinder of offenses, the judicial economy of joinder may outweigh any potential prejudice a jury may have if the defendant is charged with more than one offense. It is within a trial court's discretion to grant or deny a motion to join offenses. The defendant may also request to join her offenses; however most often the prosecution is the party seeking the join the defendant's offenses.