Plea bargain

A plea bargain is when a prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge in exchange for a lighter sentence. It is also sometimes part of a no contest plea.

No contest plea

A no contest plea is when the defendant does not dispute or admit the charges. It is sometimes offered with a plea bargain.

Not guilty plea

A not guilty plea is when the defendant admits to not having committed an offense he is charged with. A not guilty plea is the opposite of a guilty plea.

Guilty plea

A guilty plea is when the defendant admits to having committed an offense he is charged with. A guilty plea is the opposite of a not guilty plea.

Insanity plea

An insanity plea is a claim by a defendant that they lacked the mental capacity at the time of the crime and therefore are not responsible for it.