Alford plea

[ al-ferd ]

noun

1. Law. a pleading of guilty in a plea bargain in which a defendant maintains their innocence.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Alford plea¹

From the 1970 case North Carolina v. ( Henry C. ) Alford

Example Sentences

It was under these circumstances that Williams and the DA reached a deal: Williams would agree to an Alford plea, whereby he would maintain his innocence but agree to serve a life sentence.

From Slate

In light of the test, Bell and Williams' attorneys agreed he would take an "Alford plea," a deal that would have allowed him to admit that prosecutors had enough evidence to acquire a guilty verdict but reduce his sentence to life without parole, which Williams' attorneys at the time said would offer them more time to pursue his exoneration.

From Salon

Thursday’s dramatic turn of events began when Biden’s defense attorneys announced that they intended to introduce a so-called Alford plea, which would have allowed Biden to maintain his innocence while admitting that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.

From Los Angeles Times

Leo Wise urged Scarsi to reject the Alford plea, stating that doing so would be “contrary to the rule of law” and “an injustice.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Alford pleas are rare. They occur under exceptional circumstances, and that’s not the case today,” Wise said, adding later that “we will not under any circumstances agree to an Alford plea.”

From Los Angeles Times