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

A plea bargain and a plea agreement are both legal deals made between prosecutors and defendants in a criminal case. However, there are some important differences between the two. A plea bargain is an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser offense in return for being convicted of a lesser sentence than they would have faced if they had gone to trial and been found guilty of the original charge. For example, if someone is facing a felony charge, they may be offered a plea bargain to plead guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for a reduced sentence. A plea agreement, on the other hand, is an agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor in which both parties agree to dismiss some of the charges or to reduce the severity of the sentence. In this case, the defendant agrees to plead guilty to the reduced charge in exchange for the prosecutor dropping other charges or reducing the sentence. In Utah, plea bargains and plea agreements are common, as they help to expedite the criminal justice process and often result in a lighter sentence for the defendant. Additionally, plea bargains and plea agreements are an efficient use of court resources, as prosecutors can resolve cases without having to go to trial.

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

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