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05related terms
May 2026reviewed
In detail
How plea hearing works in practice.
A plea hearing is the court date at which an accused person enters a guilty plea and the matter proceeds to sentence. The prosecution opens by outlining the facts and any prior convictions. The defence then presents material in mitigation, which may include references, psychological or medical reports, and submissions on the appropriate penalty. The magistrate hears both sides before imposing sentence. A plea hearing is distinct from a contested hearing; the accused is not entering a not-guilty plea and no evidence about guilt is heard.
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