{"id":15347,"date":"2019-02-25T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-25T18:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/?page_id=15347"},"modified":"2023-02-16T12:00:57","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T19:00:57","slug":"plea-agreement-overrule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/criminal-defense-law\/blog\/plea-agreement-overrule\/","title":{"rendered":"Can a Judge Overrule a Plea Agreement in Arizona?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

Reaching a plea agreement with the prosecutor is a great way to reduce charges<\/a> and minimize legal punishment, but nothing is set in stone until the judge approves your agreement. A judge always has the authority to overrule a plea agreement, and in some jurisdictions the judge can even break from the prosecutor\u2019s recommended sentence included in the plea agreement. As such, it\u2019s critical you understand all of the implications and contingencies involved with plea agreements before you sign on the dotted line.<\/p>\n

What is a Plea Agreement?<\/h2>\n

A plea agreement (or plea bargain) occurs when the prosecutor reaches a deal with the defendant for a mutually acceptable resolution to a criminal case. Plea agreements form a contract that allows a defendant to receive reduced punishment and avoid the risks and stresses of going trial, in return for guaranteeing the result of the case and avoiding wasting time and resources for the prosecutor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Generally speaking, there are four types of plea bargains:<\/p>\n