What is a plea of mitigation?

A plea of mitigation is a plea made by an accused person during a criminal proceeding, in which they acknowledge their guilt but offer an explanation or context that may reduce the severity of their sentence.

The plea of mitigation is made to assist the court to properly sentence an offender by providing information and context that the court may not be aware of so that it is within the purview of the court to impose a less severe sentence than would otherwise be the case.

Effect of plea of mitigation

In essence, the plea of mitigation is an expression of remorse and acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions, coupled with a plea for leniency from the court. The specific content of the plea of mitigation will depend on the circumstances of the case and the offender’s individual circumstances.