plea bargaining
noun
plea bar·gain·ing
ˈplē-ˌbär-gə-niŋ 
: the negotiation of an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant whereby the defendant is permitted to plead guilty to a reduced charge
plea bargain
noun
Examples of plea bargaining in a Sentence
As a result of plea bargaining, he would not be sentenced to death.
Recent Examples on the Web
Enhancements are often dropped during the plea bargaining stage in Canyon County, court records show.
—
Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 25 Jan. 2024
In the federal system, judges are not allowed to have any discussion about plea bargaining with the parties.
—Cynthia Alkon, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2023
Prosecutors rely on plea bargaining at times to strengthen their cases by offering deals contingent on a defendant agreeing to testify against another person.
—Cynthia Alkon, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2023
Burnham said Eastman is not involved with plea bargaining.
—Rachel Weiner, Amy B Wang, Tom Jackman, Jacqueline Alemany, Holly Bailey and Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Aug. 2023
Then comes the trial or plea bargaining process.
—Christopher Cann, Orlando Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2023
The law requires or encourages this consideration during plea bargaining, sentencing or resentencing in an effort to account for the trauma a person experienced before being arrested that may have helped lead to their crimes.
—Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2023
Here's what the study found: How often did plea bargaining happen?
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2022
That quotation came from Judge Jackson’s undergraduate college thesis, which criticized the plea bargaining system.
—New York Times, 21 Mar. 2022
Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 25 Jan. 2024
In the federal system, judges are not allowed to have any discussion about plea bargaining with the parties.
—Cynthia Alkon, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2023
Prosecutors rely on plea bargaining at times to strengthen their cases by offering deals contingent on a defendant agreeing to testify against another person.
—Cynthia Alkon, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2023
Burnham said Eastman is not involved with plea bargaining.
—Rachel Weiner, Amy B Wang, Tom Jackman, Jacqueline Alemany, Holly Bailey and Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Aug. 2023
Then comes the trial or plea bargaining process.
—Christopher Cann, Orlando Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2023
The law requires or encourages this consideration during plea bargaining, sentencing or resentencing in an effort to account for the trauma a person experienced before being arrested that may have helped lead to their crimes.
—Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2023
Here's what the study found: How often did plea bargaining happen?
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2022
That quotation came from Judge Jackson’s undergraduate college thesis, which criticized the plea bargaining system.
—New York Times, 21 Mar. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plea bargaining.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1932, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near plea bargaining
Cite this Entry
“Plea bargaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plea%20bargaining. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Legal Definition
plea bargaining
noun
: the negotiation of an agreement between the prosecution and the defense whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense or to one or some of multiple offenses usually in exchange for more lenient sentencing recommendations, a specific sentence, or dismissal of other charges
plea-bargain
intransitive verb
plea bargain
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on plea bargaining
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plea bargaining
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