santobello new york argued november decided december negotiations prosecutor petitioner withdrew previous plea two felony counts pleaded guilty offense prosecutor agreed make recommendation sentence petitioner appearance sentencing many months later new prosecutor recommended maximum sentence judge stated uninfluenced recommendation imposed petitioner attempted unsuccessfully withdraw guilty plea conviction affirmed appeal held interests justice proper recognition prosecution duties relation promises made connection plea bargaining require judgment vacated case remanded state courts consideration whether circumstances require specific performance agreement plea case petitioner resentenced different judge petitioner afforded relief seeks withdrawing guilty plea pp app div vacated remanded burger delivered opinion douglas white blackmun joined douglas filed concurring opinion post marshall filed opinion concurring part dissenting part brennan stewart joined post irving anolik argued cause filed brief petitioner daniel sullivan argued cause respondent brief burton roberts chief justice burger delivered opinion granted certiorari case determine whether state failure keep commitment concerning sentence recommendation guilty plea required new trial facts dispute state new york indicted petitioner two felony counts promoting gambling first degree possession gambling records first degree penal law petitioner first entered plea guilty counts negotiations assistant district attorney charge case agreed permit petitioner plead guilty offense possession gambling records second degree penal law conviction carry maximum prison sentence one year prosecutor agreed make recommendation sentence june petitioner accordingly withdrew plea guilty entered plea guilty lesser charge petitioner represented sentencing judge plea voluntary facts case described assistant district attorney true accepted plea set date sentencing series delays followed owing primarily absence report september petitioner still sentenced date petitioner acquired new defense counsel petitioner new counsel moved immediately withdraw guilty plea accompanying affidavit petitioner alleged know time plea crucial evidence obtained result illegal search accuracy affidavit subject challenge since petitioner filed withdrawn motion suppress pleading guilty addition motion withdraw guilty plea petitioner renewed motion suppress filed motion inspect grand jury minutes three motions turn caused delay november denied three set january date sentencing january petitioner appeared different judge judge presided case juncture retired petitioner renewed motions rejected turned consideration sentence appearance another prosecutor replaced prosecutor negotiated plea new prosecutor recommended maximum sentence making recommendation cited petitioner criminal record alleged links organized crime defense counsel immediately objected ground state promised petitioner plea entered sentence recommendation prosecution sought adjourn sentence hearing order time prepare proof first prosecutor promise second prosecutor apparently ignorant colleague commitment argued nothing record support petitioner claim promise state subsequent proceedings contested promise made sentencing judge ended discussion following statement quoting extensively presentence report aronstein defense counsel influenced district attorney says need adjourn sentence need testimony make particle difference district attorney says aronstein probation report history long long serious criminal record picture life history man unamenable supervision community professional criminal quotes recidivist institutionalization means plain language putting away means halting activities protecting family family protecting society institutionalization plain language put behind bars plea send new york city correctional institution men one year hereby petitioner sought obtained certificate reasonable doubt admitted bail pending appeal state new york appellate division first department unanimously affirmed petitioner conviction app div petitioner denied leave appeal new york appeals petitioner sought certiorari justice harlan granted bail pending disposition case record represents another example unfortunate lapse orderly prosecutorial procedures part doubt enormous increase workload often understaffed prosecutor offices heavy workload may well explain episodes excuse disposition criminal charges agreement prosecutor accused sometimes loosely called plea bargaining essential component administration justice properly administered encouraged every criminal charge subjected trial federal government need multiply many times number judges facilities disposition charges plea discussions essential part process highly desirable part many reasons leads prompt largely final disposition criminal cases avoids much corrosive impact enforced idleness pretrial confinement denied release pending trial protects public accused persons prone continue criminal conduct even pretrial release shortening time charge disposition enhances whatever may rehabilitative prospects guilty ultimately imprisoned see brady however considerations presuppose fairness securing agreement accused prosecutor clear example accused pleading guilty must counseled absent waiver moore michigan fed rule crim proc governing pleas federal courts makes clear sentencing judge must develop record factual basis plea example accused describe conduct gave rise charge plea must course voluntary knowing induced promises essence promises must way made known course absolute right guilty plea accepted lynch overholser fed rule crim proc may reject plea exercise sound judicial discretion phase process criminal justice adjudicative element inherent accepting plea guilty must attended safeguards insure defendant reasonably due circumstances circumstances vary constant factor plea rests significant degree promise agreement prosecutor said part inducement consideration promise must fulfilled record petitioner bargained negotiated particular plea order secure dismissal serious charges also condition sentence recommendation made prosecutor conceded promise abstain recommendation made stage prosecution good position argue inadvertent breach agreement immaterial staff lawyers prosecutor office burden letting left hand know right hand done breach agreement inadvertent lessen impact need reach question whether sentencing judge influenced known details negotiations plea stated prosecutor recommendation influence reason doubt nevertheless conclude interests justice appropriate recognition duties prosecution relation promises made negotiation pleas guilty best served remanding case state courts consideration ultimate relief petitioner entitled leave discretion state better position decide whether circumstances case require specific performance agreement plea case petitioner resentenced different judge whether view state circumstances require granting relief sought petitioner opportunity withdraw plea guilty emphasize sense question fairness sentencing judge fault rests prosecutor sentencing judge judgment vacated case remanded reconsideration inconsistent opinion footnotes state decides allow withdrawal plea petitioner course plead anew original charge two felony counts justice douglas concurring join opinion add word agree chief justice justice marshall new york keep plea bargain petitioner excuse default merely member prosecutor staff party plea bargain charge case came new york staff prosecution unit member must presumed know commitments made member responsibility evaded way prosecution designed another deceptive contrivance akin condemned mooney holohan napue illinois plea bargains important administration justice state federal levels chief justice says serve important role disposition today heavy calendars however important plea bargaining may administration criminal justice opinions established guilty plea serious sobering occasion inasmuch constitutes waiver fundamental rights jury trial duncan louisiana confront one accusers pointer texas present witnesses one defense washington texas remain silent malloy hogan convicted proof beyond reasonable doubt winship since kercheval recognized unfairly obtained guilty pleas federal courts vacated course holding withdrawn guilty pleas admissible subsequent federal prosecutions opined timely application vacate plea guilty shown unfairly obtained given ignorance fear inadvertence application involve question guilt innocence state convictions founded upon coerced unfairly induced guilty pleas also received increased scrutiny fundamental rights applied powell alabama held state defendant entitled lawyer assistance choosing whether plead guilty williams kaiser herman claudy federal habeas corpus held lie lawyerless uneducated state prisoner pleaded guilty numerous complex robbery charges guilty plea obtained without advice counsel may admitted subsequent state prosecution white maryland thus plea bargaining per se unconstitutional north carolina alford shelton aff en banc guilty plea rendered voidable threatening physical harm waley johnston supra threatening use false testimony threatening bring additional prosecutions machibroda supra failing inform defendant right counsel walker johnston supra circumstances clear guilty plea must vacated also clear prosecutor promise may deprive guilty plea character voluntary act machibroda supra cf bram decisions spelled sorts promises prosecutors tend coercive order assist appellate review weighing promises light circumstances trial courts required interrogate defendants enter guilty pleas waiver fundamental rights affirmatively appear record mccarthy boykin alabama lower courts however uniformly held prisoner entitled form relief shows prosecutor reneged sentencing agreement made connection plea bargain jurisdictions preferring vacation plea ground involuntariness permit specific enforcement note guilty plea bargaining compromises prosecutors secure guilty pleas rev one author stated basis outright vacation outraged sense fairness prosecutor breaches promise connection sentencing newman conviction determination guilt innocence without trial state case supervisory jurisdiction rule federal rules criminal procedure obviously relevancy problem join opinion favor constitutional rule well pending oncoming cases plea bargain kept prosecutor sentence must vacated state decide light circumstances case whether due process requires specific performance plea bargain defendant given option go trial original charges one alternative may justice one case different case choosing remedy however accord defendant preference considerable controlling weight inasmuch fundamental rights flouted prosecutor breach plea bargain defendant state guilty pleas accounted criminal convictions trial courts general jurisdiction new york figure california president commission law enforcement administration justice task force report courts guilty pleas accounted criminal convictions district courts ibid fiscal convictions district courts pleas guilty nolo contendere report director administrative office courts period july table justice marshall justice brennan justice stewart join concurring part dissenting part agree much majority opinion conclude petitioner must permitted withdraw guilty plea relief petitioner requested facts set majority form relief entitled need belabor fact constitution guarantees criminal defendants right trial judge jury put another way right plead guilty jackson federal rights may waived guilty plea waivers lightly presumed fact viewed utmost solicitude boykin alabama given believe defendant present reason vacating plea government relied plea disadvantage plea may vacated right trial regained least motion vacate made prior sentence judgment words circumstances deem earlier plea irrevocably waived defendant federal constitutional right trial petitioner never claimed automatic right withdraw guilty plea sentencing rather tendered specific reason case plea vacated reason prosecutor broken promise made return agreement plead guilty prosecutor breaks bargain undercuts basis waiver constitutional rights implicit plea seems provides defendant ample justification rescinding plea promise unfulfilled brady specifically denies plea must stand course prosecutor broken plea agreement may appropriate permit defendant enforce plea bargain remedy sought rather seems breach plea bargain provides ample reason permit plea vacated worth noting ordinary case motion vacate made prior sentencing government taken action reliance previously entered guilty plea suffer harm plea withdrawal pointedly state claims harm beyond disappointed expectations plea least government broken plea bargain disappointment bar petitioner withdrawing guilty plea reclaiming right trial remand case instructions plea vacated petitioner given opportunity replead original charges indictment justice douglas although joining opinion apparently thinks remedy chosen state concludes state accord defendant preference considerable controlling weight thus majority appears believe cases like defendant seeks vacate plea relief generally granted