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plea

plee /pliː/

nounB2SATACTTOEFLIELTS

legalformal

A formal statement made by or on behalf of a defendant in a court of law, stating guilt, innocence, or a decision not to contest the charges.

A plea is a formal legal choice (guilty, not guilty, or no contest) that determines whether a case goes to trial or straight to sentencing.

The story behind the word. Plea has a surprisingly gentle origin. It comes from the Latin 'placitum', meaning 'an opinion' or 'what pleases'. This was derived from 'placere' (to please). In early legal systems, a plea was an attempt to find a resolution that would 'please' or satisfy both the court and the disputing parties.

Word relationships

defense: A defense is the evidence and arguments used to prove innocence, whereas a plea is simply the initial formal statement of one's legal stance.

Commonly confused with

plead: Plead is the verb ('to plead not guilty'), while plea is the noun ('to enter a plea').

Word family

plead (verb): To enter a formal statement in court.

Collocations

enter a plea
plea bargain
guilty plea
change one's plea

Example sentences

"She entered a plea of not guilty to the speeding charge, determined to prove the radar gun was faulty." A description of a driver's decision in court.
"The prosecutor offered to reduce the charge to a non-moving violation in exchange for a guilty plea." An explanation of plea bargaining in traffic offenses.

Memory hook

A plea is what you say when you 'please' the court to hear your side of the story. Plea is your official 'plead' in a single word.

When not to use

Do not use to describe casual begging or emotional requests outside of a formal legal context, unless using the figurative sense.

Fun facts

The vast majority of traffic citations are resolved with a plea of guilty or no contest, with fewer than five percent ever going to a full trial.