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What does a time-served sentence mean in a plea bargain?
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Plea bargaining
A scene of the trials in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony, hand-colored engraving.
In the context of plea bargaining, a "time-served" sentence is a form of sentence bargaining where a defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence equivalent to the amount of time they have already spent in jail awaiting trial.12
Because the defendant has already completed the duration of the imposed penalty while in pretrial detention, this agreement generally results in their immediate release from custody. This option is often particularly attractive to defendants who have been detained before trial, as it provides a way to resolve their case and secure their freedom without the uncertainty or potential for a longer sentence associated with a trial.21