Plea bargaining is when your lawyer and the prosecutor talk about settling the case without having a trial. This can be done at any time during the case, from the arraignment up until a verdict in a trial.

When the Government has a strong case, the Government may offer the defendant a plea deal to avoid trial and perhaps reduce his exposure to a more lengthy sentence. A defendant may only plead guilty if they actually committed the crime and admits to doing so in open court before the judge.

In a plea bargain, a defendant agrees to plead guilty to some or all charges in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor, such as a lesser sentence or reduced charges.

Charge bargaining. This is probably the most common type of plea agreement. The defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense in exchange for a more serious charge being dismissed.

In plea bargains, prosecutors usually agree to reduce a defendant's punishment. They often accomplish this by reducing the number of charges of the severity of the charges against defendants. They might also agree to recommend that defendants receive reduced sentences.

Examples of a Plea Bargain For example: A prosecutor agrees to charge a defendant with reckless driving instead of a DUI offense if the defendant admits guilt. A prosecutor agrees to take the death penalty off the table as a penalty in a murder case if the defendant agrees to admit to the crime.

Benefits of a Plea Bargain The risk of a more severe punishment is reduced. Also, the court system benefits from a plea bargain since it removes the need to hear and decide on every case. The major con of a plea bargain, however, is that the defendant is not subjected to an innocent verdict in most cases.

In any given year, 98% of criminal cases in the federal courts end with a plea bargain — a practice that prizes efficiency over fairness and innocence, ing to a new report from the American Bar Association.