Legal Definitions - negative plea

A negative plea is a type of plea made by an accused person in response to a criminal charge. It is a plea that denies the material facts stated in the charge. The accused person can plead "not guilty" or "no contest" to the charge.

For example, if someone is charged with theft, they can enter a negative plea of "not guilty" if they deny stealing anything. This plea means that the prosecution must prove all elements of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt if the defendant is to be convicted.

Another example is a blind plea, which is a guilty plea made without the promise of a concession from either the judge or the prosecutor. This type of plea is different from a negotiated plea, which is a plea agreed to by a criminal defendant and the prosecutor in a plea bargain.

Overall, a negative plea is a way for an accused person to deny the charges against them and force the prosecution to prove their case in court.