| North Carolina v. Alford | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued November 17, 1969 Reargued October 16, 1970 Decided November 23, 1970 | |
| Full case name | North Carolina v. Alford |
| Citations | 400 U.S. 25 (more) 91 S. Ct. 160; 27 L. Ed. 2d 162 |
| Argument | Oral argument |
| Case history | |
| Prior | Alford v. North Carolina, 405 F.2d 340 (4th Cir. 1968), probable jurisdiction noted, 394 U.S. 956 (1969). |
| Holding | |
| There are no constitutional barriers in place to prevent a judge from accepting a guilty plea from a defendant who wants to plead guilty while still protesting his innocence under extreme duress in a detainee status. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | White, joined by Burger, Harlan, Stewart, Blackmun |
| Concurrence | Black |
| Dissent | Brennan, joined by Douglas, Marshall |
North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970),[1] was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that there are no constitutional barriers in place to prevent a judge from accepting a guilty plea from a defendant who wants to plead guilty, while still protesting his innocence, under duress, as a detainee status.[2][3] This type of plea has become known as an Alford plea, differing slightly from the nolo contendere plea in which the defendant agrees to being sentenced for the crime, but does not admit guilt.[2] Alford died in prison in 1975.[4]
- ^ "U.S. Reports: North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970)". November 23, 1970. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Champion, Dean J. (1998). Dictionary of American Criminal Justice: Key Terms and Major Supreme Court Cases. Routledge. p. 250. ISBN 1-57958-073-4.
- ^ Acker, James R.; David C. Brody (2004). Criminal Procedure: A Contemporary Perspective. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. pp. 485–488. ISBN 0-7637-3169-2.
- ^ "David Hejmanowski: The lasting legacy of Henry Alford". The Delaware Gazette. July 1, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2022.