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plea bargaining Definition

☆ plea bargaining

noun

pretrial negotiations in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for having more serious charges dropped

plea bargaining Law Definition

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 defendantÂ’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).
plea bargaining Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • deal: Outgoing President Bill Clinton has reached an eleventh hour plea bargaining deal with prosecutors over his lying in court during the Monica Lewinsky affair.

Browse dictionary entries near plea bargaining

  1. ‹ plea bargain
  2. ‹ plea
  3. ‹ PLC
  4. ‹ PLB
  5. ‹ Plaza Agreement
  6. ‹ plaza
  7. ‹ playwriting
  8. ‹ playwright
  9. ‹ playwear
  10. ‹ playtime
  1. pleach ›
  2. plead ›
  3. plead guilty ›
  4. pleading ›
  5. pleading the Fifth Amendment ›
  6. pleadings ›
  7. pleasance ›
  8. pleasant ›
  9. pleasantly ›
  10. pleasantry ›