The Supreme Court says a man who pleaded guilty to a crime should have been told about a plea bargain offer from prosecutors.

But the high court ruled that a lower court must first decide whether prosecutors would have been required to stick to their offer to Galin Edward Frye after he was rearrested on the same charge.

Missouri prosecutors offered Frye a three-month sentence, while trying to convict him for driving with a revoked license. Frye's lawyer never told him about the offers. Frye pleaded guilty and drew a harsher sentence.

A Missouri appeals court ruled the Frye should have been told about the offer and threw out his conviction.

The high court agreed but says a lower court must decide whether prosecutors could have withdrawn their offer.