word
Plea Bargaining
PLEE BAR-gih-ning
/ˈpliː ˈbɑːrɡənɪŋ/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
pleabargaining
Dictionary meaning
A negotiated agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor in which the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge or receives a lighter sentence in exchange for avoiding a full trial; the mechanism through which the vast majority of criminal cases are resolved in the United States
Examples
- Over 97% of federal convictions in the United States result from plea bargaining rather than jury trials.
- Critics argue that plea bargaining coerces innocent defendants into guilty pleas by threatening harsher sentences if they go to trial.
Synonyms: plea deal, negotiated plea, charge bargaining
Pronunciation tips
Four syllables; both words stress the first syllable: PLEE BAR-; 'bargaining' has three syllables
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