PLEA IN BAR

plea in bar. A plea that seeks to defeat the plaintiff’s or prosecutor’s action completely and permanently.

general plea in bar. A criminal defendant’s plea of not guilty by which the defendant denies every fact and circumstance necessary to be convicted of the crime charged. [Cases: Criminal Law 299. C.J.S. Criminal Law § 378.]

special plea in bar. A plea that, rather than addressing the merits and denying the facts alleged, sets up some extrinsic fact showing why a criminal defendant cannot be tried for the offense charged. • Examples include the plea of autrefois acquit and the plea of pardon. [Cases: Criminal Law  286. C.J.S. Criminal Law §§ 380, 453.] PLEA IN CONFESSION AND AVOIDANCE

[Blacks Law 8th]