- plea bargaining
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plea bargaining n: the negotiation of an agreement between the prosecution and the defense whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense or to one or some of multiple offenses usu. in exchange for more lenient sentencing recommendations, a specific sentence, or dismissal of other chargesplea–bargain viplea bargain n
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
- plea bargaining
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the practice by which the prosecutor will alter the indictment in exchange for a guilty plea. In England there are guidelines under Practice Direction (Court of Appeal) [1976] LR 561. It takes place in Scotland too. In the USA, in some states, the judge may be party to the bargain offering the accused a more certain range of sentence.
Collins dictionary of law. W. J. Stewart. 2001.
- plea bargaining
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n. A negotiation between prosecutor and defendant in a criminal case in an attempt to reach a mutually satisfactory middle ground and, therefore, obviate the need for a trial. Usually it consists of the defendant's pleading guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a lesser sentence than he might receive had he been convicted on the original charge(s).
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
- plea bargaining
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The process whereby a criminal defendant and prosecutor reach a mutually satisfactory disposition of a criminal case, subject to court approval.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
- plea bargaining
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I
The process whereby a criminal defendant and prosecutor reach a mutually satisfactory disposition of a criminal case, subject to court approval.II Process where the accused and the prosecutor in a criminal case work out a satisfactory disposition of the case, usually by the accused agreeing to plead guilty to a lesser offense. Such bargains are not binding on the court. Also referred to as plea negotiating.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.
