plea bargain

(criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge

• “his admission was part of a plea bargain with the prosecutor”
• “plea bargaining helps to stop the courts becoming congested”

agree to plead guilty in return for a lesser charge

• “If he plea-bargains, he will be sent to a medium-security prison for 8 years”