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Alford plea

American  
[al-ferd] / ˈæl fərd /

noun

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


Etymology

Origin of Alford plea

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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 Sep. 5, 2024

The president's son would like to submit what is known as an Alford plea, a rare form of plea allowing defendants to maintain their innocence while accepting a guilty verdict and sentence.

From BBC Sep. 5, 2024

As part of the agreement, Kitchens entered into an Alford plea, which permits defendants to maintain their innocence while pleading guilty.

From Salon Aug. 24, 2023

On “Paybach,” Gunna addresses the false narratives about his Alford plea by rhetorically asking, “Switching on my brother, are you serious?”

From Slate Jul. 13, 2023

He was suspended from the Sooners football team for a year and entered an Alford plea, in which a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction.

From Seattle Times Apr. 19, 2023

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