Alford plea - Wikipedia
WEBIn United States law, an Alford plea, also called a Kennedy plea in West Virginia, [1] an Alford guilty plea, [2] [3] [4] and the Alford doctrine, [5] [6] [7] is a guilty plea in criminal court, [8] [9] [10] whereby a defendant in a criminal case does not admit to the criminal act and asserts innocence, but accepts imposition of a sentence.
Alford Plea - Definition, Examples, Cases, Processes
WEBOct 31, 2016 · An Alford plea, which is also known as a “best interests plea,” accepts all of the consequences of a guilty plea – often based on an offer made of a lesser sentence – without admitting to the crime, nor any of its elements.
Alford plea | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
WEBAn Alford plea, also known as a "best-interests plea," registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges.
What is an Alford Plea? | LawInfo
WEBOct 25, 2023 · An Alford plea allows a defendant to plead guilty and accept a plea bargain even if they claim they are innocent. An Alford plea is based on a voluntary and intelligent choice to avoid a harsher criminal sentence.
Is an Alford Plea the Same as a No Contest Plea? - Lawyers
WEBSep 9, 2022 · Both an Alford plea and a no contest plea are the functional equivalents of a guilty plea. A defendant who enters an Alford plea pleads guilty but claims to be innocent. With a no contest plea, a defendant accepts punishment but doesn’t admit guilt.
The Alford Plea: Do the Cons Outweigh the Pros?
WEBJan 22, 2020 · The Alford Plea was created in 1970, at the time Henry C. Alford was indicted for first degree murder (5). North Carolina laws stated that at the time, capital punishment was the default for this crime if the defendant plead not guilty and the jury did not suggest life imprisonment.
The Alford Plea: A Mysterious Criminal Procedure Device
WEBApr 20, 2020 · An Alford plea is “a guilty plea entered by a criminal defendant who does not admit guilt but nevertheless pleads guilty as part of a plea bargain.”
Alford Plea - What Is It and Which States Use It? - HG.org
WEBThe Alford plea is the guilty acceptance of a crime for a person that claims innocence in the activity. It is similar to the no contest in the acceptance of guilt, but the no contest is for a person that will accept punishment even if he or she does not admit guilt.
A Complete Guide To What Is An Alford Plea - Legal Inquirer
WEBNov 11, 2022 · An Alford plea, otherwise called a “well-being” plea stops the full course of a criminal preliminary on the grounds that the respondent, regularly with the court’s consent, acknowledges the discipline that a liable decision brings without conceding responsibility.
Overview and Explanation of an Alford Plea - ThoughtCo
WEBMar 17, 2019 · In the law of the United States, an Alford plea is a plea in criminal court. In this plea, the defendant does not admit the act and asserts innocence, but admits that sufficient evidence exists with which the prosecution could likely convince a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty.