What is the federal system of plea bargaining?

Plea bargaining is a practice used in the federal justice system to allow two opposing parties to come to an agreement without going to trial. It is a way for the defendant to accept responsibility for a crime while avoiding a trial and potential jail time. In the federal court system, plea bargaining is when a defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence or the dismissal of some charges. The defendant in a federal crime usually has two options: go to trial or plead guilty. The federal court system uses plea bargaining to provide a third option. Through plea bargaining, the defendant can accept responsibility for the crime but receive a lighter sentence than one mandated by the law. In some cases, the prosecutor may also agree to drop one or more of the charges. Before entering plea bargaining, the defendant and their lawyer will discuss what the potential outcomes of a plea bargain might be. The lawyer will advise the defendant of the cost/benefit analysis of either taking the plea bargain or going to trial. They will also discuss the possibility of appeal if their client pleads guilty. One of the benefits of plea bargaining in the federal court system is that it allows both sides to make a more equitable arrangement. This can often result in both the defendant and the government receiving a more satisfactory outcome than if the case were to proceed to a full trial.

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What is the federal system of plea bargaining?

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