If you’re facing federal charges, there’s a good chance the government is going to offer you a plea deal. But here’s the truth most defendants—and even some lawyers—don’t fully grasp:

The type of plea agreement you sign can make or break your future.

We’ve seen countless people blindly accept plea deals without understanding the differences, only to end up with way more time than they expected—and no way to fight it.

Let’s fix that.

The 3 Main Types of Federal Plea Agreements

There are three types of plea agreements in federal court:

1. Rule 11(c)(1)(A) - Government agrees to dismiss other charges.

This type might sound good, but it leaves sentencing entirely up to the judge. There are no promises about how much time you’ll actually get, and if the judge decides to max you out, there’s not much you can do.

2. Rule 11(c)(1)(B) - The government makes a sentencing recommendation.

Sounds better, right? Not quite. The judge isn’t bound by it and can completely ignore the recommendation. If they do, you’re still stuck—and you usually can’t appeal.

3. Rule 11(c)(1)(C) - Our Favorite: A locked-in sentence agreement.

This is the only agreement where both sides agree to a specific sentence or sentencing range, and the judge has only two options: accept or reject it. If they accept, your sentence is locked. If they reject, you can withdraw your plea.

Why is this our top pick?

Because it gives you certainty. You can work in advance with your attorney and consultant (that’s us) to structure a sentence that not only avoids surprises, but positions you to serve it on home confinement, not in a prison cell.

Don’t Let a Bad Plea Trap You

We’ve seen too many defendants get burned by deals that sounded reasonable—until the judge went rogue and there was no appeal, no backup plan, and no leverage left.

If you can’t get an 11(c)(1)(C), then it becomes even more important to strategically build your Presentence Report (PSR), mitigation package, and home confinement strategy. That’s where our consulting team comes in.