What discount percentage applies if the defendant pleads before the committal hearing?

• A. 10%
• B. 25%
• C. 5%
• D. 0%

Answer: (B)

Plea discount in sentencing: when someone pleads guilty at the earliest opportunity, the court reduces the sentence to reflect the saving of time, resources, and the impact of a trial on victims. The earlier the plea, the larger the incentive. Pleading before the committal hearing is considered an early plea and, in standard guidelines used in this study context, earns up to 25% off the head sentence (or non-parole period). That’s why the 25% option is the best answer.

Smaller or no discounts apply if the plea is made later in the process or if the defendant goes to trial, which is why the other percentages aren’t the correct reflection of an early plea escape.