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Simple English definitions for legal terms

plead (one's) belly

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A quick definition of plead (one's) belly:

Term: PLEAD (ONE'S) BELLY

Definition: In the past, when a woman was accused of a crime that could result in the death penalty or being sent away, she could say she was pregnant to avoid punishment. However, the court would appoint a group of women to check if she was really pregnant. If she was, she would not be punished until after the baby was born. If she was not, she would be punished as usual. This is no longer used, but it is still not allowed to punish a pregnant woman.

A more thorough explanation:

Definition: Plead (one's) belly is a historical slang term used to describe a female defendant's claim of pregnancy as a defense to avoid a court's sentence of capital punishment or transportation.

In the past, if a woman was accused of a crime that carried the death penalty or transportation, she could plead her belly to avoid punishment. This meant that she claimed to be pregnant, and a jury of matrons (married mothers) would be appointed to examine her claim. If the woman was found to be "quick with child" (in an advanced state of pregnancy), she would be granted a reprieve until after the child's birth or miscarriage.

For example, if a woman was accused of theft and faced the death penalty, she could plead her belly to avoid punishment. If the jury of matrons found her to be pregnant, she would be granted a reprieve until after the child's birth.

However, if the woman was found to be lying about her pregnancy, she would be punished severely. The court would keep track of her to see if the delay was justified or if she should be made to suffer the sentence at the next session.

Although the plea and the special jury are no longer in use, the prohibition against executing a pregnant woman persists in modern law.

For example, in the United States, it is illegal to execute a pregnant woman under 18 USCA § 3596(b).

pleading the baby act | plead over

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THATS SO FUNNY
i cant i would go crazy
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
i need to know who decided to do that.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
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the devil
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20:50
yo splitterus are you in school already
20:50
it says ur c/o 2027
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:51
@SplitterusClitterus: HAHAH yes
ur user is hilarioussss and no i just graduated this may and am now applying ---also im out of messages so ill take a lil
20:52
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im back, r u applying this cycle too
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
this child fell asleep on me
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
im so uncomfortable
just push him off the entire seat
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:34
LMAOOOO
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
no he’s literally like 8 and he fully just put his head on my bicep and slept
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
he has since moved
22:12
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22:23
i just went into a discord vc and yelled "YALL I JUST GOT INTO J.M. SCHOOL OF LAW"
22:24
people were getting excited :sob:
22:25
then someone was like "what does jm stand for" and i was like .. well
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JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:39
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JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:45
haha my brother and sister in law live there
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