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.

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Etymology

Origin of Alford plea

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

Example Sentences

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

Ten days later, they went to North Carolina, and Tom took what’s called an Alford plea, which allowed him to plead guilty to Franklin’s manslaughter while maintaining his innocence.

From Slate • May 2, 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

She entered a so-called Alford plea last September, which maintained her innocence while recognizing that the evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if the case went to trial.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 15, 2023