Many criminal cases are resolved through a "plea bargain", usually well before trial. In a plea bargain, the defendant agrees to plead guilty to one or more charges (often to a lesser charge than one for which the defendant could stand trial) in exchange for a more lenient sentence (and/or so that certain related charges are dismissed). Click on the links below for in-depth information on plea bargains.

Plea Bargain Basics:
• Plea Bargain Basics
• Plea Bargaining: Areas of Negotiation
• Plea Bargain Pros and Cons

Why Plea Bargains are Made:
• Plea Bargains: Why and When They're Made
• Defendants' Incentives for Accepting Plea Bargains
• Prosecutors' and Judges' Incentives for Accepting Plea Bargains

Federal and State Court Plea Bargains:
• Plea Bargaining in Federal Courts
• Plea Bargaining: State Provisions