The term 'LEGAL PLEA, FOR SHORT' can be solved by two crossword solutions: GEESE (5 letters) and NOLO (4 letters). A legal plea is a formal statement made by a defendant in a criminal case that outlines the defense they are using. The two crossword solutions refer to two types of legal pleas. GEESE stands for Guilty Except for Insanity or Mental Disease or Defect, which is a plea that states that the defendant was not responsible for their actions due to mental illness. NOLO stands for NOLO Contendere, which is a plea that does not admit guilt but does not contest the charges.