Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A pure plea is a formal response made by an accused person in court to a criminal charge. It can be a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest.
For example, if someone is accused of stealing, they can make a pure plea of not guilty, which means they deny committing the crime and the prosecution must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Another example is a guilty plea, which is an admission of having committed the charged offense. This type of plea is usually part of a plea bargain, where the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence or other concessions.
A pure plea can also be a military law term, where it refers to a plea that is entered knowingly, intelligently, and consciously, and is legally and factually consistent and accurate.