Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA)

Quick Definition: Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA)

A Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) is a legal mechanism in which a prosecutor agrees to suspend criminal prosecution of a defendant (often a corporation), on condition that the defendant meets certain requirements (e.g., compliance reforms, monitoring, fines) during a specified period. If the defendant satisfies those conditions, charges may be dropped. If not, prosecution may resume.

Key points:

• DPAs are used primarily in corporate criminal enforcement to allow remediation without full trial.
• They often require independent monitorship, cooperation, reporting obligations, and structural reforms.
• Failure to comply with DPA terms typically triggers reinstatement of the prosecution.