If a person enters a plea to the judge, sometimes called an open plea, or if someone is found guilty after a trial, the next step in the process is a sentencing hearing. At the sentencing hearing, both the State and the defense advocate for an appropriate sentence. Generally, the court is more likely to sentence someone to jail or prison when a person is convicted after a jury trial. After 1998, when an individual is charged with noncapital felony, he or she is scored on a scoresheet pursuant to the Florida Criminal Punishment Code. The scoresheet provides the lowest permissible sentence...
