The Sixth Amendment guarantees anyone accused of a crime the right to “have the assistance of counsel for his defense.” [1] However, uncertainty over what “assistance of counsel” entails remains, leading to complex court cases across the country. When a defendant faces the court and decides whether they will plead guilty or not guilty to the charges against them, their counsel weighs the consequences of a guilty plea, often categorized into two types: immediate and collateral. Immediate consequences are punishments like fines, detainment, and prison time, and are often the primary basis for a legal counsel’s advice. Yet the collateral consequences of a defendant's guilty plea are often ignored—though they are just as important.

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