Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Indications on sentence definition

What does Indications on sentence mean? A judge’s indication, given to assist a defendant’s plea decision, of the likely maximum sentence on a guilty plea (commonly called a Goodyear indication in England and Wales). It is sought by the defence, given in open court, and normally follows an agreed or clarified basis of plea and the prosecution’s outline of facts. The judge may indicate the maximum custodial term or whether custody would be imposed on a guilty plea, but must not negotiate, predict a sentence after trial, or give an indication where material facts are disputed. If the defendant pleads guilty immediately in reliance on the...

Goodyear sentence indications: Crown Court procedure, responsibilities of defence, prosecution and judge, and consequences (England and Wales)

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Practice notes

Judicial independence

Judicial independence is the bedrock of the rule of law. The criminal justice system’s integrity rests on hearings that are open, fair, and decided by a tribunal that is both independent and impartial. Alongside those core tenets sits the imperative that justice is delivered promptly, and with that comes an accepted place for plea discussions. A prospective indication of the likely sentence forms part of that framework. The value of receiving such an indication early is that a defendant can reach a more informed view on whether to enter a guilty plea. The Attorney General’s guidelines on accepting pleas stress transparency in the administration of justice and, in particular, prescribe a structured method for giving sentence indications in the Crown Court. These are commonly referred to as ‘Goodyear indications’. The Court of Appeal, in R v Goodyear, promulgated guidance that effectively introduced a formal procedure for advance sentence indications. That guidance now appears in paragraph 9.4 of the Criminal Practice Directions 2023. Its purpose is to guard against any real or perceived judicial pressure on a defendant. It preserves independence while facilitating transparent, timely plea dialogue...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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