What is a plea bargain in a federal criminal case?

A plea bargain is an agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor in a federal criminal case. It is an agreement between the two parties that usually involves the defendant pleading guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for the prosecutor dropping the more serious charge. This means that the defendant will face a lesser sentence than what they would have faced for the original charge. In Maryland, plea bargains are very common, especially in federal criminal cases. The prosecutor may offer the defendant a plea bargain to save time and money. For example, the prosecutor might offer to reduce the charges against the defendant from a serious felony to a less serious misdemeanor. The defendant may accept this agreement in order for them to avoid a trial and the possible consequences of a more serious sentence. The plea bargain is then reviewed by the judge, who has the authority to accept or reject the agreement. Even if a plea bargain is accepted, the judge still has the authority to decide the sentence of the defendant. This ensures that the sentence is fair and not more lenient than what the prosecutor proposed. Overall, a plea bargain is an agreement between a defendant and the prosecutor usually involving the defendant pleading guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for the more serious charges being dropped. It is common in federal criminal cases in Maryland and is ultimately reviewed by the judge who has authority to accept or reject the agreement.

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