What is a plea colloquy?

Before accepting a plea, the court conducts a colloquy — a structured set of questions establishing that you understand what you're doing.

It covers the rights you're waiving: trial, jury, confrontation of witnesses, the privilege against self-incrimination, and appeal in most respects. It confirms you understand the charges and the maximum penalties. It asks whether anyone threatened or promised you anything outside the agreement. It confirms satisfaction with counsel.

Why it matters later. The colloquy is the record. If you subsequently want to withdraw the plea, the transcript of that hearing is what a court examines. Answers given there — that nobody promised anything, that you understood, that you were satisfied — are difficult to contradict afterward.

That cuts both ways. It's protective, ensuring nobody pleads without understanding. It's also binding.

Practical point: if something is wrong at that moment — if you don't understand, if you were promised something not on the record, if you're not sure — that is the moment to say so. It becomes considerably harder afterward.