Phrase: pleads not guilty

Associations

This phrase is used in legal contexts when someone says they did not commit a crime. It is often said in court by a defendant when asked about their guilt.

• "The defendant pleads not guilty to the charges." This means the person says they did not do the crime.
• "He pleads not guilty and asks for a trial." This shows the person wants the court to decide if they are guilty or not.
• "She pleads not guilty during the arraignment." The arraignment is the first court hearing where the defendant answers the charges. A synonym is "denies the charges," but "pleads not guilty" is a formal legal response, while "denies" can be used in everyday conversation.

Substitution

Instead of "pleads not guilty," you can say:

• "denies guilt" (less formal)
• "claims innocence" (more general)
• "rejects the charges" (formal but less common) Each changes the tone slightly; "pleads not guilty" is the official legal phrase.

Deconstruction

• "Pleads" comes from the verb "to plead," meaning to make a formal statement in court.
• "Not" is a negation word, meaning the opposite.
• "Guilty" is an adjective meaning responsible for a crime. Together, it means the person formally says they are not responsible for the crime. The phrase comes from legal language used in courts, especially in English-speaking countries.

Inquiry

• When else could you use "pleads not guilty" outside of a court setting?
• Have you seen this phrase in movies or news? How was it used?
• Can you think of a situation where someone might say "pleads not guilty" even if they are guilty? Why?