Petition vs. Plea — What's the Difference?

A document collecting signatures to support a cause.

An urgent or desperate appeal.

A way to gather public support.

A defendant's answer to a charge in court.

A formal request addressed to an authority.

An emotional request.

A method to influence decision-making.

A statement made in mitigation of a punishment.

A solemn supplication or request, especially to a superior authority; an entreaty.

A formal application to a court.

A formal written document requesting a right or benefit from a person or group in authority.

An earnest request; an appeal

A formal written application seeking a court's intervention and action on a matter

An excuse; a pretext

A pleading initiating a legal case in some civil courts

The defendant's answer to a formal criminal charge

Something requested or entreated

A defendant's answer in a civil action.

To address a petition to

A special answer in an equity action, setting forth in lieu of a detailed response a basis for dismissing, delaying, or barring the suit.

To ask for by petition; request formally

A legal proceeding.

To make a request, especially formally

An appeal, petition, urgent prayer or entreaty.

A formal, written request made to an official person or organized body, often containing many signatures.

An excuse; an apology.

A compilation of signatures built in order to exert moral authority in support of a specific cause.

That which is alleged or pleaded, in defense or in justification.

(legal) A formal written request for judicial action.

(legal) That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause.

A prayer; a supplication; an entreaty.

(legal) An allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer.

(transitive) To make a request to, commonly in written form.

(legal) The defendant’s answer to the plaintiff’s declaration and demand.

A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.

(legal) A cause in court; a lawsuit; as, the Court of Common Pleas.

A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; - in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document.

To plead; to argue.

To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor.

That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern practice, the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant's plea. In chancery practice, a plea is a special answer showing or relying upon one or more things as a cause why the suit should be either dismissed, delayed, or barred. In criminal practice, the plea is the defendant's formal answer to the indictment or information presented against him.

To make a petition or solicitation.

A cause in court; a lawsuit; as, the Court of Common Pleas. See under Common.

A formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority

That which is alleged or pleaded, in defense or in justification; an excuse; an apology.

Reverent petition to a deity

An urgent prayer or entreaty.

Write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing

A humble request for help from someone in authority

An appeal to a higher power or authority.

(law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer)

An answer indicating why a suit should be dismissed

Yes, anyone can initiate a petition for a cause or request they believe in.

It's an agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge, often in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Not all, but collecting signatures often strengthens the impact and legitimacy of a petition.

While petitions are typically written, they represent a formal request and can sometimes be verbal.

It varies; effectiveness often depends on the target audience and the nature of the request.

Typically, a plea conveys urgency or seriousness, but context determines its intensity.

Yes, like any request, a plea can be accepted, denied, or negotiated.

Petitions can sway decision-making by showing collective support or opposition to a matter.

While online petitions can raise awareness, their legal validity depends on jurisdiction and context.

No, while commonly used in legal contexts, a plea can also be any urgent or emotional appeal.

A plea is an urgent request or appeal, while an argument presents reasons in support of a position.

Yes, pleas can be both verbal and written, especially in legal settings.

The targeted authority typically reviews the petition, and it may or may not lead to action.

Changing a plea in court usually requires judicial approval and specific circumstances.

Petitions often have a broader scope, representing collective voices, while pleas can be individual and personal.