Autrefois acquit

In the common law legal system, a plea of autrefois acquit (French for 'previously acquitted') the defendant claims to have been previously acquitted for the same offence, on substantially the same evidence, and that hence they cannot be tried again. A plea of autrefois acquit can be combined with a plea of not guilty. This plea is one of the peremptory pleas. It is a term of Law French.