Alford plea

noun

law

: a guilty plea entered by a criminal defendant who does not admit guilt but nevertheless pleads guilty as part of a plea bargain

After a lunch break, Garcia decided to enter an Alford plea in return for a reduced charge of injury by conduct regardless of life on one of the two attempted murder counts.

—State v. Garcia, 532 N. W.2d 111 (Wis. 1995)

see also alford doctrine , nolo contendere

Word History

Etymology

after North Carolina vs. Alford, U.S. Supreme Court case (1970) that sanctioned such a plea

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

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