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Criminal Procedures

The Criminal Process

What happens if the defendant pleads guilty?

If the defendant pleads guilty, then the judge will set a date for sentencing. At the sentencing date, the judge will then impose the time period that the defendant will have to serve or whatever other form of punishment the judge deems appropriate. In other cases, particularly those that involve less serious and less violent crimes, the judge will go ahead and impose the sentence at the initial appearance.