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Criminal justice reporting and court developments from established newsrooms. Agency announcements are labeled; charges and allegations are not findings of guilt.

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AllWhite Collar CrimePlea BargainsDrug OffensesAssaultDomestic ViolenceFederal CrimesDUI/DWITheft & FraudExpungementJuvenile Crimes
Does a Judge Have to Accept the Plea Deal You Negotiated?
Plea Bargains10h ago

Does a Judge Have to Accept the Plea Deal You Negotiated?

A York County, S.C. judge turned down a negotiated 12-year plea in a felony DUI death case. Here's why judges can reject plea deals, the difference between binding deals and recommendations, and how to protect your right to withdraw a guilty plea.

Plea Bargains10h ago

Can Prosecutors Withdraw a Plea Deal After You Accept It?

The Supreme Court's refusal to revive the Guantanamo plea deals raises a question every defendant should ask: if you said yes to an offer, is it locked in? Usually not until you plead guilty. Here is how the rules work and what to get in writing.

Gavel Daily EditorialRead
Plea BargainsOct 19

Should You Take the First Plea Offer? Questions to Ask Before You Sign

The first plea offer often arrives before your defense has seen the full case. Supreme Court rulings and Federal Rule 11 explain why, and what to ask before you sign.

Gavel Daily EditorialRead
Plea BargainsOct 10

Can a Judge Sentence Below Guidelines After a Guilty Plea? A Fraud Case Where 46 Months Became 18

Prosecutors asked for at least 46 months. The judge imposed 18. A Manhattan federal fraud sentencing shows that a guilty plea settles guilt, not the sentence, and how mitigation shapes the final number.

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Plea BargainsOct 5

Public Defender or Private Attorney for a Misdemeanor? How to Choose

Charged with a misdemeanor and unsure whether to take a public defender or hire your own lawyer? Here's when you have a right to free counsel, what "free" can cost, how caseloads affect your case, and how to decide.

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Plea BargainsSep 16

Will Six Jurors Decide Your Felony Case?

The Supreme Court will decide in Kian v. Florida whether states can try serious felonies before juries smaller than 12, as Florida and Connecticut do with six jurors. Learn what a smaller jury changes at trial and what the pending case means for a plea decision you may be weighing now.

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Plea BargainsSep 6

What Happens When Your Jury Cannot Agree?

A deadlocked jury ends your trial without ending your case. Here is how a judge gets to a mistrial, why a second trial is allowed, who decides whether it happens, and what the weeks before your status hearing are worth.

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