What is the process of plea-bargaining in criminal cases?

In Massachusetts, plea-bargaining is the process of negotiating a plea agreement between the defendant and the prosecuting attorney. This agreement may be to reduce the severity of the charges or the nature of the punishment in exchange for a guilty plea from the defendant. The process of plea-bargaining in Massachusetts criminal cases begins by the defendant consulting with an attorney. Once an attorney has been consulted, the defendant and prosecuting attorney may enter into a plea-bargain agreement. This agreement is made in private and usually consists of a guilty plea from the defendant in exchange for a lighter sentence or reduced charges. The plea-bargaining process in Massachusetts is regulated by law. When a plea-bargaining agreement is made, the court must review it in order to make sure that it is in compliance with the law. This is done to ensure that plea-bargaining agreements are fair and the legal rights of the defendant are not violated. If the court does not accept the plea-bargaining agreement, the defendant has the option to withdraw their guilty plea and take their case to trial. If the court does decide to accept the plea-bargaining agreement, then the two parties may enter into a binding contract. The terms of the agreement must be strictly adhered to or else the defendant may face serious criminal penalties.

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What is the process of plea-bargaining in criminal cases?

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