united-states court plea
How is a plea agreement NOT a “threat or promise”?
<p>I was viewing a televised case, the Judge asks the defendant “have any threats or promises been made to you to deliver this plea” before the defendant delivers their guilty plea as part of a plea bargain.
I was wondering, how is a plea bargain/plea agreement exempt from being considered a “promise” as the judge words it?</p>

<p>This is covered by Rules of Federal Criminal Procedure <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcrmp/rule_11" rel="noreferrer">Rule 11</a>, which says that</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Before accepting a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the court must
address the defendant personally in open court and determine that the
plea is voluntary and did not result from force, threats, or promises
(other than promises in a plea agreement).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The judge is not required to include a disclaimer (like &quot;other than the plea deal itself&quot;) in interviewing the defendant. By asking the question in an unqualified way, the judge will decide whether there were promises made that are outside the scope of the plea bargain.</p>
