plea bargain
Noun: 1. An agreement in a criminal case: A plea bargain is a negotiated agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant. In this agreement, the defendant typically agrees to plead guilty to a less serious charge or to only one of several charges. In exchange, the prosecutor agrees to drop more serious charges or to recommend a more lenient sentence to the judge.
A "plea bargain" is a formal legal procedure used to resolve a criminal case without a full trial. It is a core component of the justice system in many countries.
Examples: * The defendant accepted a plea bargain to avoid the risk of a longer prison sentence after a trial. * The attorney spent hours negotiating a plea bargain with the district attorney's office. * His admission was part of a plea bargain with the prosecutor.
- To strike a plea bargain: This phrase means to successfully negotiate and agree upon a plea bargain.
- The defense lawyer managed to strike a favorable plea bargain for her client.
- As part of a plea bargain: This is a common prepositional phrase describing the context of an action.
- He testified against his accomplices as part of his plea bargain.
- Plea bargaining (n): The process of negotiating a plea bargain.
- Plea bargaining helps to stop the courts from becoming congested.
- To plea-bargain (v, less common): To engage in the process of negotiating a plea bargain.
- The case was resolved when the defendant decided to plea-bargain.
- Negotiated plea: A more formal term with the same meaning.
- Deal (informal in this context): Often used in news reports (e.g., "He cut a deal with prosecutors").
- To enter into a plea bargain: To formally agree to and participate in a plea bargain.
- After considering the evidence, she decided to enter into a plea bargain.
- To offer a plea bargain: The action of the prosecutor in proposing the agreement.
- The prosecution offered a plea bargain to secure a guaranteed conviction.
- To reject a plea bargain: The action of the defendant in refusing the proposed agreement.
- Believing in his innocence, he chose to reject the plea bargain and go to trial.
- (criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge
- his admission was part of a plea bargain with the prosecutor
- plea bargaining helps to stop the courts becoming congested