Who signs the PTA or Plea Agreement?

• A. The parties involved
• B. The judge
• C. The VIC
• D. The CA

Answer: (A)

A Plea Agreement is a bilateral contract between the defendant and the United States government. The agreement is entered into by the person accused (through their counsel) and the government’s representation, who sign to show mutual assent to the terms. The judge’s role is to review the terms and approve them, not to sign the contract as a party. The victim’s representative isn’t a signing party, since the agreement concerns the defendant’s case and disposition of charges, not the victim’s consent. The convening authority’s role is to approve the sentence, which is a separate step from forming the contract. So the signing signatures come from the two sides—the parties involved.