Legal Definitions - not-guilty plea

A not-guilty plea is a formal statement made by a defendant in a criminal court, asserting that they deny committing the crime(s) they are accused of. This plea signifies the defendant's intention to contest the charges and requires the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, typically through a trial.

Here are some examples to illustrate how a not-guilty plea works:

• Example 1: Minor Traffic Offense

  Imagine a driver, Maria, receives a ticket for running a red light. She firmly believes the light was yellow when she entered the intersection. When she appears in traffic court, she tells the judge she is "not guilty" of the charge. This not-guilty plea means Maria is denying the accusation and will likely have a hearing or trial where she can present her side, and the prosecution (often the ticketing officer) will need to prove she ran the red light.

• Example 2: Allegation of Theft

  John is accused of shoplifting an item from a department store. He insists he paid for the item and has the receipt, but the store security guard claims otherwise. When formally charged in court, John enters a not-guilty plea. By doing so, he is rejecting the accusation of theft and signaling his intent to go to trial, where he can present his receipt and testimony to demonstrate his innocence, requiring the prosecution to prove he stole the item.

• Example 3: Serious Felony Charge

  Sarah is arrested and charged with assault following an altercation. She claims she was acting purely in self-defense and did not initiate the physical confrontation. During her arraignment (the formal reading of charges), she informs the judge that she is "not guilty." This not-guilty plea sets the stage for a criminal trial, where the prosecution will present evidence to prove Sarah committed assault, and Sarah's defense team will present evidence and arguments to show she acted in self-defense, leaving it to a jury or judge to decide her guilt or innocence.