What is a plea deal?

A plea deal is an agreement where a defendant and prosecutor come to a resolution on a criminal case without a full trial. The defendant may agree to plead guilty to a lesser charge or accept a sentence with fewer consequences than would be possible during a trial. In Delaware, plea deals can be entered at any point in the legal process. A plea deal is generally offered to a defendant by the prosecutor as an alternative to trial. The defendant, with the help of their attorney, weighs the pros and cons of the plea deal before deciding whether to accept it or not. If the defendant accepts the plea deal, they are agreeing to the resolution of the case and are making a conscious decision to not exercise their right to a full trial. A plea deal could include anything from a reduced sentence to dropping certain charges. The plea deal must be approved by a judge in order for it to be legally binding. In Delaware, the judge has the right to accept or deny the plea deal, and the defendant is not obligated to accept a plea deal if it is offered by the prosecutor.

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