Confession and Avoidance
December 1, 2016
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01/12/16 Confession And Avoidance
A plea, or answer, to a complaint in a civil case, in which the defendant admits the allegations in the lawsuit but alleges other facts that, if found to be true by the trier of fact, will negate the negative effect of the plaintiff’s claims. For example, in a few states, a plaintiff who sues over injuries allegedly caused by the defendant’s negligence will not recover any damages if the defendant can prove that the plaintiff was in part also negligent (contributory negligence). When a defendant admits having acted negligently, but alleges that the plaintiff was also careless, the defendant has entered a plea of confession and avoidance.
Useful vocabulary:
- to admit an allegation
- case / lawsuit
- to allege facts
- to find something to be true
- to negate
- to admit
- to sue over injuries
- to recover damages
- to prove
- to be careless
- to enter a plea
