What does a consent decree resemble?

A consent decree resembles a stipulated judgment or plea bargain because it typically involves an agreement between parties to resolve a dispute without admitting guilt or liability. In a consent decree, a government agency may agree to certain terms and conditions that the regulated entity must follow, often after negotiations between the parties.

This process allows for a resolution that can bypass lengthy litigation while still holding the parties accountable for compliance with regulatory standards or legal requirements. Just like a plea bargain, where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a more lenient sentence, a consent decree provides a mechanism for both enforcement and compliance without a formal trial or admission of wrongdoing.

In contrast, a final judgment represents a court's definitive resolution of a case following a trial, while a settlement agreement is a broader term that can encompass various forms of negotiated resolutions, which may or may not involve court approval or monitoring. A temporary injunction is a specific court order meant to prohibit certain actions until a further court ruling can be made, rather than an agreement between parties.