04/08/2026
Plea Bargains on Legal Myth Monday
Myth: Plea bargains allow defendants to avoid punishment.
Fact: Plea bargains guarantee accountability for defendants and are essential for judicial efficiency.
Plea bargains remove uncertainty for victims, keep victims from reliving the trauma of a crime while testifying in court, and provide victims with a voice in the process. While not appropriate for all cases or defendants, plea bargains secure guilty findings and conserve public resources.
They also keep law enforcement officers on duty in our communities, rather than spending days in court. Although plea bargains between a prosecutor and a defendant are highly persuasive, judges are not required to follow them and remain the final decider on sentencing.