Severity of potential penalty drives felony defendants toward trials or plea bargains

Evidence

For those accused of felonies, however, the potential penalty upon conviction may be severe (see Box 6.1). Thus, defendants may be less willing to admit their guilt: the more serious the charges, the more likely a trial. Or defendants may be willing to admit guilt only in exchange for some concession from the prosecution. As a result, processing felony cases is more drawn out and complex. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1664

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Guilty pleas dominate criminal case disposition overwhelmingly — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 547; Guilty pleas, not trials, now dominate criminal case disposition; Prosecutors, not judges, dominate U.S. criminal outcomes via plea bargaining

Broader Connections

• Guilty pleas dominate criminal case disposition overwhelmingly #expands (0.78) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 547
• Guilty pleas, not trials, now dominate criminal case disposition #expands (0.78)
• Prosecutors, not judges, dominate U.S. criminal outcomes via plea bargaining #expands (0.72)