The analysis of plea bargain criminal procedural institute in the prism of its legislative regulation development was carried out. It was concluded that the term "plea bargain" is expressed legally in the terms "agreement on pleading guilty", "the confession of guilt", "plea bargain", "request of one of the parties", "pre-trial cooperation agreement", and "conclusion of an agreement". With the legalization of the plea bargain institution, a sovereign approach is presented by the individual countries of North America, Europe, the post-Soviet space, based on legal and social realities.