Legal Definitions - negotiated plea

A negotiated plea is when a criminal defendant and the prosecutor agree on a plea bargain. This means that the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a charge in exchange for a concession from the prosecutor, such as a reduced sentence or dropped charges.

For example, a defendant charged with drug possession may negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor to plead guilty to a lesser charge of drug paraphernalia possession in exchange for a shorter sentence.

A negotiated plea is different from a blind plea, which is a guilty plea made without any concessions from the judge or prosecutor, and a conditional plea, which is a guilty or no contest plea made with the court's approval and the government's consent, but with the right to appeal certain pretrial motions.