affirmative defense
Defendant's exculpatory claim
An affirmative defense is a legal strategy where the defendant admits to the alleged act but argues that circumstances justify or excuse it.
Rather than simply denying the charges, the defendant raises new facts: Self-defense is an affirmative defense to murder.
Other examples include insanity, entrapment, and statute of limitations.
The burden of proof typically shifts to the defendant to establish the defense.
Formal clearing of charges
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- dismissalRemoval from position
- vindicationClearance of blame
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
clearance · discharge · reduction · mitigation · lesser charge · not guilty · judgment
Severe mental illness
- duressCoercion through threats
- entrapmentDefense against induced criminality
- necessityIndispensable requirement
- consentVoluntary agreement given
statute of limitations · immunity · provocation · double jeopardy · diminished capacity · infancy · justifiable homicide · compulsion
Duty to prove allegations
- preponderanceSuperiority in weight or number
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- corroborationEvidence confirming another account
documentation · substantiation · verification · witness · establishment · demonstration · showing · prima facie
acquittal
Formal clearing of charges
- exonerationOfficial clearing of blame
- dismissalRemoval from position
- vindicationClearance of blame
absolution · clearance · discharge · reduction · mitigation · lesser charge · not guilty · judgment
insanity
Severe mental illness
- duressCoercion through threats
- entrapmentDefense against induced criminality
- necessityIndispensable requirement
consent · statute of limitations · immunity · provocation · double jeopardy · diminished capacity · infancy · justifiable homicide · compulsion · withdrawal
burden of proof
Duty to prove allegations
- preponderanceSuperiority in weight or number
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
corroboration · documentation · substantiation · verification · witness · establishment · demonstration · showing · prima facie · rebuttal
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- court filingscomplaint, motion to dismiss, counterclaim, pleading, cross-claim
- criminal defensesinsanity plea, legal insanity, diminished capacity, mental incapacity, irresistible impulse
- legal defensesalibi, insanity, duress, entrapment, necessity
- pleadingsplea, answer, complaint, demurrer, replication
- self-defensemartial arts, self-protection, karate, pepper spray, reasonable force
affirmative defensedenial
Refusal to accept reality
traverse · accusation · criminal charge · indictment · complaint
defend, defense, defender, defended, affirm, defending, defensive, affirmation, affirmative