When a judge rejects a plea agreement, a criminal defendant may withdraw a previously entered guilty plea or proceed without the plea agreement and potentially face a higher sentence than the rejected deal would have provided.
November 03, 2025
high
procedural
Legal options and sentencing consequences following judicial rejection of a plea deal
A court may enter a default judgment against a party for repeated failure to comply with court orders or to produce required evidence.
October 15, 2025
high
procedural
Default judgments are a civil procedure remedy used when a party repeatedly fails to follow court directives or discovery obligations.
An arraignment typically involves a court reading the charges to the defendant, the judge asking the defendant to enter a plea, and the judge outlining the next procedural steps in the case.
October 08, 2025
high
procedural
General description of common criminal-court arraignment procedure in U.S. courts.
A court may issue a default ruling against a party in civil litigation when that party repeatedly fails to comply with court orders or to produce required evidence.
high
legal_procedure
Default rulings are a sanction in civil cases for serious discovery or compliance failures.
A judge can award or add punitive damages on top of a jury's compensatory damages verdict in civil cases.
high
legal_procedure
Punitive damages are intended to punish wrongdoing and may be assessed in addition to compensatory awards.
A judge can vacate a criminal conviction, setting aside the prior judgment and nullifying the conviction.
high
procedural
Legal process in criminal and post-conviction proceedings whereby a court can overturn a conviction.