Legal Definitions - plea

When someone is accused of a crime, they have to go to court and answer to the charges. This formal answer is called a plea. There are three types of pleas:

• Guilty: The defendant admits to the charges.
• Not Guilty: The defendant denies the charges and wants to go to trial.
• Nolo Contendere: The defendant accepts the conviction but does not admit guilt.

If the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere, they will be sentenced. If they plead not guilty, there will be a trial. Sometimes, the prosecution and defense can make a deal called a plea bargain. In a plea bargain, the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence or dropped charges.

For example, if someone is accused of stealing a car, they can plead guilty and be sentenced to jail time. Or they can plead not guilty and go to trial. Or they can accept a plea bargain and plead guilty to a lesser charge, like joyriding, and get a shorter sentence.

The examples illustrate how a plea is a formal answer to criminal charges and how it can lead to different outcomes, such as sentencing or a trial. The plea bargain example shows how a defendant can negotiate with the prosecution to get a better deal.