Legal Definitions - plea of privilege

A plea of privilege is a type of plea made by a defendant in a criminal case. It is a request to be exempted from prosecution or punishment due to a special status or circumstance. For example, a member of parliament may plead privilege to avoid being arrested while attending a parliamentary session.

Other types of pleas in criminal cases include:

• Guilty plea: An admission of guilt by the defendant.
• Not guilty plea: A denial of guilt by the defendant.
• No contest plea: A plea in which the defendant does not admit guilt but accepts punishment.
• Insanity plea: A plea in which the defendant claims to be not guilty by reason of insanity.

These pleas are important because they determine the course of the trial and the potential outcome for the defendant.

For example, a guilty plea may result in a shorter sentence or a plea bargain, while a not guilty plea may lead to a trial and the possibility of a longer sentence if convicted.