A plea bargain is an agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant. It is a legal agreement, and it is very common in criminal cases. The basis of the plea bargain is that the defendant pleads guilty to the charges brought against them and, in return, the prosecutor agrees to do one of several things. The prosecutor may agree to drop one or more of the criminal charges, reduce the charge to a lesser offense, or recommend to the judge a specific sentence that has been agreed upon by both the prosecutor and the defendant. Plea bargains are favored in many criminal cases because they afford some level of control over the outcome of the case for both the defendant and the prosecutor. Plea bargains can be reached relatively quickly, which is also an advantage over a criminal trial that can last weeks or months. Most importantly, plea bargains must be agreed upon by both parties so -- as a defendant -- you have the decision-making power regarding whether or not you want to accept a plea bargain.