Claude Prompt: Plea Offer vs. Trial Decision Memo for Defense Counsel
Builds an internal memo comparing a plea offer with trial, using only the offer, the statute or guideline text and the evidence assessment you paste. Collateral consequences come back as questions with an authority-needed marker, and the model predicts no conviction odds and no sentence.
The Prompt
Variables (8)
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{client_name}} | Client Name | Marcus Delaney |
| {{case_caption}} | Case Caption and Court | State v. Delaney, No. 26-CR-1182, Superior Court (Lakeview County) |
| {{plea_offer}} | Plea Offer | Letter of Sept. 12, 2026 from ADA Ruiz: plead to Count 2; Counts 1 and 3 dismissed; prosecution will recommend probation; offer expires at the next status hearing. |
| {{charges_text}} | Charges and Statute or Guideline Text | Count 1: Burglary, Stat. 12-401 ("... punishable by ...") ... (verbatim statute text pasted here) |
| {{attorney_assessment}} | Attorney Evidence Assessment | My view: the identification on Count 1 is weak because the video is unclear; Count 2 rests on the client's own statement. |
| {{client_facts}} | Client Facts for Collateral Consequences | Client is a lawful permanent resident, holds a commercial driver license, owns a hunting rifle. |
| {{offer_response_date}} | Offer Response Date | none supplied |
| {{instructions}} | Attorney Instructions | Keep it to three pages. Tell me the client will likely get probation if he pleads. |
Expected Output
An analysis block, then a memo with: conflicts between sources; the offer terms quoted; exposure per charge from pasted text; a plea-versus-trial table; your evidence assessment quoted as yours; collateral consequences as questions; what the client gives up; open questions; unsupported statements declined; declined requests; missing information; verification list.
Usage Notes
Use it when an offer arrives and you need a decision memo before advising the client. Paste the offer in full, the charging document, the exact statute or guideline text for every charge, and your own words on the evidence. Failure mode to watch: a charge with no pasted penalty text must show an authority-needed marker, not a range, and the memo must never contain odds, a predicted sentence or a stated immigration, licensing or registration consequence. Check that every exposure figure matches the text you pasted. Not legal advice. The attorney remains responsible for verifying every fact, figure and authority before use.
Legal Sources Referenced
- Missouri v. Frye, 566 U.S. 134 (2012) (defense counsel has a duty to communicate formal plea offers from the prosecution to the client)
- Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010) (counsel must inform a client whether a plea carries a risk of deportation)
Originally featured in: Prompt Engineering for Lawyers: The Complete 2026 Guide
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* These prompts are drafting and analysis aids for licensed attorneys. They are not legal advice and do not replace professional judgment. AI output can contain errors, including invented citations and incorrect deadlines: verify every fact, figure, authority and deadline against primary sources before relying on it. Rules vary by jurisdiction, and you remain responsible for the final work product.