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Criminal procedure

Faculty Publications

William & Mary Law School

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Law

Plea Bargaining's Uncertainty Problem, Jeffrey Bellin Feb 2023

Plea Bargaining's Uncertainty Problem, Jeffrey Bellin

Faculty Publications

While commentators roundly condemn plea bargaining, the criticism can be as muddled as the practice itself. Critics’ primary target is the “trial penalty.” But a differential between guilty-plea and trial sentences seems inevitable in any system that allows defendants to concede guilt. And, as a new wave of “progressive prosecutors” is demonstrating, gaps between (unusually lenient) plea offers and long (potential) post-trial sentences are not only a strong incentive to plead guilty but also a powerful tool for reducing American penal severity. Other critiques point to flaws that parallel those found in the broader system, overlooking that plea bargaining is …


Plea Bargains: Efficient Or Unjust?, Jeffrey Bellin, Erin Blondel, John Flynn, Elana Fogel, Anjelica Hendricks, Carissa Byrne Hessick Jan 2023

Plea Bargains: Efficient Or Unjust?, Jeffrey Bellin, Erin Blondel, John Flynn, Elana Fogel, Anjelica Hendricks, Carissa Byrne Hessick

Faculty Publications

The vast majority of state and federal cases end in plea bargains. The practice has eased backlogs and may benefit some defendants — but the trade-offs, some say, are too steep. Is there a better way?


Fundamental Criminal Procedure (2022 Edition), Fredric I. Lederer Jan 2022

Fundamental Criminal Procedure (2022 Edition), Fredric I. Lederer

Faculty Publications

Fundamental Criminal Procedure explores American criminal procedure in a format ultimately destined for electronic publication. Because many students devote a great deal of their class time to taking notes, often at the expense of creative analysis, the text is intended to supply all of the necessary “black letter law” needed for mastery of the subject. The materials are, however, far more than a “study aid.” They emphasize where appropriate the crucial philosophical and policy questions and issues inherent in the subject. Periodic “Review Questions” require understanding application of academic material in a pragmatic context. “Legal Briefs” require the student to …