The term "plea bargain" refers to an agreement between the prosecution and the defense in a criminal case. A plea bargain is basically a contract between the sides intended to allow:
Read on about terms courts use to describe different forms of plea bargaining.
The defendant pleads to a crime that’s less serious than the original charge, or than the most serious of the charges.
Many consider count bargaining to fall under charge bargaining. Here, the defendant pleads to only one or more of the original charges, and the prosecution drops the rest.
The defendant takes a guilty or "no contest" plea after the sides agree what sentence the prosecution will recommend.
The defendant pleads in exchange for the prosecutor’s stipulation that certain facts led to the conviction. The omitted facts would have increased the sentence because of sentencing guidelines.
For further discussion of the kinds of plea bargains—and the process by which judges decide whether to accept or reject them—see How Judges Accept and Reject Plea Deals.
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