Top definition. Plead The Fifth. This is why a lawyer cannot simply force a defendant into a confession while under oath.

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How do you use i. Click To See The Answer! To plead the fifth means to refuse to answer a question, especially in a criminal trial, on the grounds that you might incriminate yourself. The fifth in plead the fifth comes from the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which, among other rights, protects citizens from self-incrimination. Pleading the fifth is an action that can be taken in court. The Fifth Amendment gives a criminal defendant the right not to testify, and a witness at a criminal trial can plead the fifth while testifying in response to questions they fear might implicate them in illegal activity. Pleading the fifth is sometimes regarded as proof of guilt, and therefore as an incriminating step.
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Subscriber Account active since. Whether you've heard the term tossed around colloquially or you watch a lot of court shows, you've probably come across the phrase "plead the Fifth. As you can probably gather from context clues, when someone "pleads the Fifth," the person is excusing him or herself from answering a question, typically when it could incriminate themselves. The term comes from the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution , which outlines some of the rights a person has when facing criminal charges. The amendment reads:. The clause being referenced here is "nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself," or what's known as the privilege against self-incrimination. In some cases, a court may force a person to testify in a case, sending them what's called a subpoena. What this clause of the Fifth Amendment does is prevent the prosecution from mandating the defendant come to the stand and testify against themselves and then being held in contempt of court if they refuse. So, if you hear a person — whether in a legal setting or a casual one — "plead the Fifth," they're invoking their right to avoid giving information that could incriminate them.
It comes from the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, which outlines several laws regarding due process and how an individual should be charged with a crime. For many, pleading the fifth is shorthand for refusing to answer a question, however it is significantly more complex than that. Pleading the fifth only applies to specific scenarios and has its own benefits and costs to defendants. Based on the fifth amendment, this is referred to as the right against self-incrimination and protects you from accidently confessing to a crime. However, while it is a constitutional right, that does not mean it is universal. The language of the fifth amendment is very specific and only allows an individual to refuse to testify against themselves during a criminal trial and when they are on the witness stand. While its concept may overlap with your Miranda Right to remain silent when in police custody, it does not apply to police investigations and interrogations. In addition, like Miranda Rights, it is not automatic. You must expressly state that you are pleading the fifth for the court to uphold your right. Pleading the fifth may also apply to personal injury claims where a defendant is refusing to testify in a civil court, however this can be seen as an admission of guilt to a jury.