Are there any circumstances in which a plea bargain is not an option?

Yes, there are circumstances in which a plea bargain is not an option. In California, the most common example is when the defendant faces a "strike" crime. Under the Three Strikes Law, the defendant can be subjected to harsher sentencing terms if they have prior convictions. In these cases, the prosecutor will likely not offer a plea bargain, as they are likely seeking the maximum sentences. In addition, if the charges are particularly serious and involve a large number of defendants, plea bargains may not be an option. Cases such as these can become highly complex, with multiple charges and multiple defendants. In these cases, the prosecutors are more likely to pursue full trials that will allow them to seek the most severe sentences for all of the defendants. Finally, if the defendant is facing multiple charges and there is clear evidence of his or her guilt, the prosecutor may be unwilling to offer a plea bargain. In this scenario, the prosecutor is more likely to pursue full trials in order to obtain the harshest sentence possible for the most serious offenses.

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Are there any circumstances in which a plea bargain is not an option?

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