Plea

This legal mechanism is a cornerstone of the justice system, as it determines the subsequent course of a case. A guilty plea can lead directly to sentencing, while a not guilty plea typically results in a trial. Plea bargains, where a defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser charge or a more lenient sentence, are also a common and notable feature, helping to resolve a vast majority of criminal cases without a full trial.

The term "plea" frequently appears in news reports concerning ongoing legal proceedings. Recent headlines highlight its relevance, covering stories where charges were dropped following a plea, a defendant is expected to enter a plea in a violent crime, a public official changed a previously entered guilty plea, and a plea deal was offered to a repeat offender due to mitigating circumstances like mental health. These examples illustrate the practical and often newsworthy applications of pleas in the legal process.