A pair of “large tree nymph” butterflies. Photo Lenny Lensworth Frieling Is Plea Bargain a Dirty Word? Is the Negotiation Balanced Like these Butterflies? Plea bargains are misunderstood and inappropriately denigrated by some defendants. Boulder courts, as well as courts across the United States, plea bargaining is a fundamental part of resolving criminal cases. In Colorado’s criminal courts, plea bargains are commonly used to settle cases without proceeding to trial. Consider that only about 4% of all cases go to trial, either before a jury or as a bench trial. A small... Read More