American Prosecutors' Powers and Obligations in the Era of Plea Bargaining

Abstract

This chapter appears in "The Prosecutor in Transnational Perspective" (Oxford Univ. Press 2012) assesses American prosecutors' obligations, authority and discretion, with special reference to U.S. plea bargaining rules. It highlights some differences between prosecutors in federal and state systems and, to a lesser degree, differences with prosecutorial duties and powers in jurisdictions outside the U.S.

Keywords: criminal procedure, adjudication, plea bargaining, prosecutorial discretion