Convictions, felony or misdemeanor, have collateral consequences.
And it’s stuff no one tells you when you take plea deals, most of the time not even your lawyer.
Plea bargaining, by its very nature is coercive, giving prosecutors significant power over defendants and lasting control over their futures.
If I had my way, every defendant offered a plea deal would be given a one-week cool-off period and a card with this website: The National Inventory of Collateral Consequences for Conviction.
You can also learn more about collateral consequences here.
