Plea Offer Client Explainer Letter
When a plea offer arrives and you need to document, in writing the client can reread, what the offer means, what trial risks, and which collateral consequences must be checked.
Most criminal cases end in a plea, and the client's decision whether to accept an offer is one of the most important choices in the case. Clients often hear the offer once, in a hallway or a jail visit, under stress. A written explanation they can reread, share with family and ask questions about protects the client and documents the advice. The collateral consequences, especially immigration, can matter more to the client than the sentence itself.
This prompt builds that letter from the offer and your notes. You supply the sentence exposure ranges you calculated, and the prompt tells Claude to use them exactly rather than compute anything. The letter walks through the offer, the trial alternative, the rights waived and a collateral-consequences checklist that marks each item as applies, may apply or needs checking. For a non-citizen client, or one whose status is unknown, a prominent warning tells the client to get immigration advice before accepting.
The letter does not recommend a choice, and it should not. The attorney is responsible for the exposure numbers, for researching each collateral consequence in the client's jurisdiction, and for advising the client directly. Immigration consequences of criminal pleas are complex and fact-specific, so consult or refer to immigration counsel where they may apply. Review and edit every draft before it reaches the client.
The Prompt
I represent [CLIENT FIRST NAME] in [CASE NAME / CHARGES] in [JURISDICTION]. The prosecution has made a plea offer, and I need a plain-language letter that helps my client understand it and decide. The decision belongs to the client. <plea_offer> [PASTE THE OFFER OR SUMMARIZE ITS TERMS] </plea_offer> <case_facts> [CHARGES FILED, KEY EVIDENCE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, PENDING MOTIONS, CLIENT BACKGROUND RELEVANT TO CONSEQUENCES] </case_facts> Client details: citizenship status [U.S. CITIZEN / NON-CITIZEN / UNKNOWN], professional licenses [LIST], housing [e.g., public housing], firearms ownership [YES/NO], reading level [e.g., 8th grade], language [ENGLISH / OTHER]. Sentence exposure I have calculated: if plea [RANGE]; if convicted at trial [RANGE]. Use these exactly; do not calculate exposure yourself. Write the letter with these sections: 1. What the offer is (charge pleaded to, what is dismissed, recommended sentence, and whether the judge is bound by it, per my notes) 2. What happens if you go to trial instead (exposure as [RANGE], what the prosecution must prove) 3. Rights you give up by pleading guilty, based on [PLEA FORM / APPLICABLE RULE] if provided; mark appeal rights "need to check" 4. Collateral consequences checklist: immigration, professional licensing, firearms, housing, driving, records and expungement, public benefits, employment. Mark each "Applies / May apply / Unknown, we need to check." 5. If the client is not a U.S. citizen or citizenship is unknown, a boxed warning near the top: get advice from an immigration attorney before accepting. 6. Deadline to decide: [DATE], and next steps. Rules: plain language, short sentences, no legal jargon without a definition. Do not recommend accepting or rejecting. Do not state what a consequence will be unless my notes say so; otherwise mark it "need to check." Quote the offer's terms from the pasted text. List any term in the offer you found unclear. This is a draft for my review; I will check every term against the written offer before it goes to the client.
Example Output
A plain-language client letter covering the offer, trial exposure, rights waived, a collateral-consequences checklist and an immigration warning box, ending with the decision deadline.
Illustrative example — names, figures, and facts are fictional.
Dear Andre, This letter explains the plea offer in your case so you can think it over. The choice to accept or reject it is yours. I will answer any question you have before you decide. IMPORTANT: You told me you are not a U.S. citizen. A guilty plea can affect your immigration status, including possible removal. Please speak with an immigration attorney before you decide. I can help arrange this. 1. WHAT THE OFFER IS You would plead guilty to one count of "theft of property, third degree." The prosecutor would dismiss the burglary charge and recommend [RANGE] of probation with no jail time. The judge makes the final decision on your sentence and does not have to follow the prosecutor's recommendation. 2. IF YOU GO TO TRIAL The prosecutor must prove every part of each charge beyond a reasonable doubt. If a jury convicts you of burglary, the possible sentence is [RANGE]. If you are found not guilty, the case ends. 3. RIGHTS YOU GIVE UP BY PLEADING GUILTY - A trial by jury - Making the prosecutor prove the case - Questioning the witnesses against you - Calling your own witnesses - Staying silent - Some or all of your rights to appeal (we will go over exactly which) 4. OTHER CONSEQUENCES Immigration: May apply. Needs immigration attorney review. Commercial driver's license: Need to check. Firearms: Need to check. Housing (your apartment lease): Need to check. Record and expungement: Need to check whether this conviction can be sealed later. Employment: May apply to background checks. 5. DEADLINE The offer expires on [DATE]. Please call me by [DATE] to talk it through. Unclear in the offer: whether restitution is part of the deal. I am asking the prosecutor. Sincerely, [ATTORNEY NAME] (Fictional example. Draft for attorney review.)
Tips
- •Calculate sentence exposure yourself and paste it in; never let the letter compute guideline ranges or statutory maximums.
- •If citizenship is unknown, treat the client as possibly a non-citizen and keep the immigration warning box until you confirm.
- •Ask for a version in the client's language with an English back-translation, and have a qualified translator check it before sending.
- •Keep a signed copy or written acknowledgment in the file; a clear written explainer helps document that the client understood the offer.
- •Every 'need to check' row is a research task for you or co-counsel before the client decides.
- •If the client is in custody, consider how legal mail is handled at the facility before sending a detailed letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the prompt refuse to calculate sentence exposure?
Exposure depends on statutes, guidelines, criminal history scoring, enhancements and local practice, all of which require careful, verified analysis. A wrong number in a client letter can distort the client's decision. You calculate the ranges, paste them in, and the letter uses them exactly. If you have not done the calculation yet, leave the placeholders in and finish it before sending.
Should the letter recommend whether to take the plea?
This prompt keeps the letter neutral because the decision belongs to the client and your advice is better delivered in conversation, where you can respond to the client's questions and priorities. You can add your recommendation yourself after the draft is generated. Make sure any recommendation reflects your full professional judgment, not the draft's structure.
What if I do not know the client's citizenship status?
Set it to UNKNOWN. The prompt then keeps the immigration warning in the letter. Ask the client directly and carefully, since many clients are unsure of their own status, and do not rely on assumptions. Where any doubt remains, consult or refer to immigration counsel before the client decides.
Can I send the letter in another language?
Yes. Ask for the letter in the client's language with an English back-translation so you can check the content. Plain-language legal translations still need a qualified human translator to confirm accuracy, especially for the rights-waived and immigration sections. Keep both versions in the file.
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