GUILTY PLEA Meaning and
Definition
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A guilty plea refers to a formal admission of guilt made by a defendant in a criminal case. When facing charges, a guilty plea is the voluntary acknowledgment of wrongdoing, accepting legal responsibility for the offense(s) committed. The defendant, either through legal counsel or personally, enters the plea before a court of law.
By entering a guilty plea, the defendant essentially waives their right to a trial and admits to engaging in the criminal conduct alleged against them. This plea can occur at various stages of the legal process, such as during the initial arraignment, pre-trial negotiations, or even after a trial has commenced. Typically, a guilty plea is accompanied by an agreement between the defendant and the prosecution, known as a plea bargain, which often involves reduced charges or a lesser sentence in exchange for the admission of guilt.
Once a guilty plea is accepted by the court, it results in immediate conviction and determination of guilt. Consequently, the court proceeds to impose a sentence, which may include fines, probation, community service, or imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense and any negotiated arrangements. However, in some cases, the court may reject a guilty plea if it believes it is not supported by sufficient evidence or if it deems it not to be in the best interest of justice.
Overall, a guilty plea serves as a decisive step in the criminal justice system, allowing for the resolution of a case without the need for a lengthy trial and providing closure for both the defendant and the prosecution.
Common Misspellings for GUILTY PLEA
- fuilty plea
- vuilty plea
- builty plea
- huilty plea
- yuilty plea
- tuilty plea
- gyilty plea
- ghilty plea
- gjilty plea
- giilty plea
- g8ilty plea
- g7ilty plea
- guulty plea
- gujlty plea
- guklty plea
- guolty plea
- gu9lty plea
- gu8lty plea
- guikty plea
- guipty plea
Etymology of GUILTY PLEA
The word "guilty" originates from the Old English word "gyltig", which means "sinful" or "culpable". It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "gulthian", meaning "to owe" or "to be indebted". The word "plea" comes from the Old French word "plait", meaning "lawsuit" or "pleading". It can be traced back to the Latin word "plactum", which means "agreement" or "a decree". So, the combination "guilty plea" refers to the act of formally declaring oneself as culpable or admitting guilt in a legal context.
