What is the difference between a plea and a plea bargain?

A plea and a plea bargain are two separate legal terms involved in drug crime law in Utah. A plea is a formal answer made by a defendant in response to a criminal charge. The plea can either be “guilty”, “not guilty”, “no contest”, or “nolo contendere”. It is up to the defendant to decide which plea to make, but it is important to note that the consequences of each plea differ. A plea bargain is an agreement between the defendant and the prosecution, that typically involves the defendant pleading guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence. This is done by the prosecution agreeing to drop certain charges or accept a lesser charge. The nature of the plea bargain is left up to the parties involved, but often involves the defendant admitting guilt and paying a fine, or sometimes a combination of both. The key difference between a plea and a plea bargain is that a plea is a defendant’s answer to a criminal charge in court, while a plea bargain is an agreement between the defendant and the prosecution. Plea bargains are typically used to reduce the terms of a sentence for a defendant that pleads guilty. It is important to remember that if the plea bargain is not accepted by the court, the defendant may still end up with the same sentence as if they had not taken the plea bargain in the first place.

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What is the difference between a plea and a plea bargain?

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