Colloquy Law and Legal Definition
In law, a colloquy is a routine, highly formalized conversation. Usually, colloquies are the conversations among the judge and lawyers. For example, when a defendant enters into a plea bargain and the judge is supposed to verify that the defendant understands that they are waiving their right to a jury trial. This conversation can be termed as colloquy.
Whereas, in a criminal court, colloquy is an investigation within a defendant’s plea to reassure that the plea was given purposefully, voluntarily and intelligently. Defendant needs to understand the charges against him/her, the penalties that s/he will face, and his/her rights before entering into a guilty plea.
