Need help with legal terms in Spanish

Question

I am trying to teach myself some spanish terms to help out at work in a small law office. The dictionary doesn't seem to help fully when I am looking to translate the term "plea" or "plea bargain" as it applies to a criminal defendent. Anyone familiar with this'

Answer 1

Thanks to you both. I believe I can simplify from the long-winded definitions you've located - they are packed with useful legal terms in and of themselves. I'll try 'convenio penal' as well. Thanks for listing your sources. I appreciate the help.

Answer 2

Correct James
plea= súplica, petición
plea bargain is charasteristic of the US legal system.
plea bargain is= alegato de culpabilidad para reducción de sentencia, acuerdo declaratorio or negociación/pacto de culpabilidad

Answer 3

This is a characteristic of the US legal system, and it's always dangerous to try to translate legal terms between countries, because the laws and legal systems are going to differ.

I found this:

Del Diccionario Jurídico de Cabanellas de las Cuebas & Hoague (Editorial Heliasta):
plea bargaining = negociación entre el fiscal y el acusado en la que aquel acuerda limitar las acusaciones que formulará o las penas que solicitará, y el acusado conviene reconocer su culpabilidad respecto de ciertas acusaciones.

Del Diccionario de Términos Jurídicos (Peter Collin Publishing):
plea bargaining = sentencia acordada de conformidad; negociación entre la defensa y la acusación con respecto a los cargos.

One person suggested that convenio penal is used by court interpreters and is understood, and another offered "Declaración (de culpabilidad) pactada o convenida."