§ 518 Plea of not guilty, issues on.

When someone pleads not guilty, it means they are disputing every important claim made against them in the charging document. The prosecution then has to prove each of these claims to win the case. Nothing is assumed to be true just because it was written in the indictment or information.

This plea does not require the defendant to explain their side or offer any reasons why they should not be found guilty. It simply forces the state to prove its case from start to finish. If the prosecution cannot back up its claims with enough evidence, the defendant cannot be convicted.