plural of plea in abatement

plural of West plea

(law) Plea to the effect that from some formal defect (e.g. misnomer, want of jurisdiction) the proceedings should be abated.

(US, law) Alternative form of plea bargain (“an agreement between a defendant and the prosecution in which the defendant agrees to a plea such as guilty or nolo contendere to a lesser charge rather than contesting a greater charge”).

(US, law) To make an agreement in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of not guilty to a greater one.

(US, law) An agreement in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of not guilty to a greater one

(Britain law) A legal action against a criminal.

(law) The process of negotiating a verdict and sentence without a complete trial.

Alternative spelling of plea-bargaining

(slang, law) To plead guilty to a lesser criminal charge than one had been charged with.