Plea Agreement or plea bargain

Plea bargaining is the process where the defendant and the prosecution come to an agreement as to a disposition of charges, subject to the Court's approval. A plea agreement is also the name for the paperwork that lists the details involved in the agreement. Charges are often dropped or reduced as a result of a plea bargain. There are court rules and previous case decisions which the judge follows in deciding whether to allow a defendant and the state to enter into an agreement on a plea. The judge will ask the defendant questions regarding his or her entry into the plea agreement to make certain that the defendant is knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently making an informed decision.