A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge or to receive a lighter sentence in exchange for avoiding a trial. This process helps to reduce the court's workload and can lead to quicker resolutions for both the defendant and the legal system. In a plea bargain, the prosecution and defense negotiate terms that are acceptable to both parties. This often involves the defendant admitting guilt to a specific crime, which can result in a more lenient sentence than if the case went to trial and resulted in a conviction for a more serious offense.