The New Jersey Supreme Court has averted a separation-of-powers showdown by revoking a court directive that prevented plea bargains in drunken driving cases.

Just a week after the court reaffirmed its long-held support of Guideline 4 of the Guidelines for Operation of Plea Agreements in the Municipal Courts, it made an about-face on Feb. 23 and said it was withdrawing that guideline in the interest of cooperation between the branches of government.