Plea
Filed Under: Criminal Law
1 definition found for this term.
Definitions are presented in the order source books were published (most recent first).
Source:
A declaration by an accused person to the court of “guilty” (admitting the charge) or “not guilty” (which requires the prosecution to attempt to prove guilt). Other pleas, such as guilty but not criminally responsible owing to mental disorder, are occasionally made. Autrefois acquit or autrefois convict refers to pleas that can be made if the accused asserts that he or she cannot be tried for this offence as there was already a trial for the same offence that resulted in acquittal or conviction.
