Supreme Court to review judge's role in plea talks WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether a defendant's guilty plea must automatically be thrown out if the presiding federal judge plays a role in plea negotiations. The case involved the interpretation of federal criminal procedure rules that instruct courts not to participate in such talks, but which say an error can be excused if a defendant's "substantial rights" are not affected. Anthony Davila, the defendant, had been charged by a Georgia federal grand jury with conspiring to defraud the government by submitting false income tax refund claims that used the stolen identities of state prison inmates. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Sandra Maler