Many people are confused about the possible dispositions in criminal cases. There are legal terms that are confusing to the general public. Let's discuss the possibilities.

The prosecutor may be willing to enter a nolle prossequi. This means that the State's Attorney decides not to prosecute the case. The charge is essentially dropped. This is a great result and the charges are eligible for immediate expungement. While the prosecutor can refile the same charges, it almost never happens and there are speedy trial issues that arise.

You may agree to a stet. A stet means that the case is placed on the inactive docket and the charge is not brought forward. A stet can be reopened for any reason within one year and for good cause between one and three years. The Defendant gives up his or her right to a speedy trial. There are usually conditions to the stet such as the Defendant must stay out of trouble or do community service. If the Defendant complies with the conditions of the stet, the case will never be brought forward.

You may plead guilty which will almost always result in a conviction. If you are convicted, the judge has the discretion to offer you probation before judgment. This means that the judge strikes the conviction and removes it from your record. A probation before judgment can be expunged after three years in most cases with the notable exception being a DUI.

You can have a trial and get an acquittal. If you are acquitted, you have been found not guilty and can get your record expunged immediately.

There are many possibilities in criminal cases and some counties even have diversion programs for certain kinds of charges. You should reach out to an attorney if you have any questions.