Guilty Pleas: What You Can Expect in Court

One key Supreme Court case describes your rights and what you can expect if you make a guilty plea in court. In Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742 (1970), the Court considered whether the guilty plea of a defendant who changed his plea due to new information about his co-defendant was voluntary. In doing so, the Court explained how to evaluate whether a guilty plea is voluntarily, intelligently, and knowingly made. Guilty pleas are not voluntary if they are “induced by threats (or promises to discontinue improper harassment), misrepresentation (including unfulfilled or unfulfillable promises), or perhaps by promises that are...

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