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class="mw-page-title-main">Defense (legal)</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 8 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-8" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">8 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B9_(%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86)" title="الدفاع (قانون) – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="الدفاع (قانون)" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensa_(dret)" title="Defensa (dret) – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Defensa (dret)" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence" title="Defence – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Defence" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensa_(derecho)" title="Defensa (derecho) – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Defensa (derecho)" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pravna_obrana" title="Pravna obrana – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Pravna obrana" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eccezione_(diritto)" title="Eccezione (diritto) – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Eccezione (diritto)" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_(legal)" title="Defense (legal) – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Defense (legal)" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li 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id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Legal procedure</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Defence_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="Defence (disambiguation)">Defence (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Defence counsel" redirects here. 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role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/60px-Ambox_important.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/80px-Ambox_important.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="40" data-file-height="40" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span"><div class="multiple-issues-text mw-collapsible"><b>This article has multiple issues.</b> Please help <b><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Defense_(legal)" title="Special:EditPage/Defense (legal)">improve it</a></b> or discuss these issues on the <b><a href="/wiki/Talk:Defense_(legal)" title="Talk:Defense (legal)">talk page</a></b>. <small><i>(<a 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Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">June 2024</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-More_citations_needed plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Defense_(legal)" title="Special:EditPage/Defense (legal)">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a>. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Defense%22+legal">"Defense" legal</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Defense%22+legal+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Defense%22+legal&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Defense%22+legal+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Defense%22+legal">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Defense%22+legal&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span 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class="sidebar-title"><a href="/wiki/Criminal_defenses" title="Criminal defenses">Criminal defenses</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-above"> Part of the <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a> series</td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Actual_innocence" title="Actual innocence">Actual innocence</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Legal_immunity" title="Legal immunity">Immunity</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Insanity_defense" title="Insanity defense">Mental disorder (Insanity)</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Diminished_responsibility" title="Diminished responsibility">Diminished responsibility</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Intoxication_defense" title="Intoxication defense">Intoxication</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Defense_of_infancy" class="mw-redirect" title="Defense of infancy">Infancy</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Automatism_(law)" title="Automatism (law)">Automatism</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Alibi" title="Alibi">Alibi</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Consent_(criminal_law)" title="Consent (criminal law)">Consent</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Mistake_(criminal_law)" title="Mistake (criminal law)">Mistake</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Duress" class="mw-redirect" title="Duress">Duress</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Age_of_criminal_responsibility" title="Age of criminal responsibility">Age</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Necessity_(criminal_law)" title="Necessity (criminal law)">Necessity</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Provocation_(law)" title="Provocation (law)">Provocation</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Right_of_self-defense" title="Right of self-defense">Self-defense</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/False_confession" title="False confession">False confession</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Entrapment" title="Entrapment">Entrapment</a></li></ul></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <dl><dt><span class="nobold"><i>See also</i></span></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law">Criminal law</a> and <a href="/wiki/Criminal_procedure" title="Criminal procedure">procedure</a></dd></dl></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Other <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a> areas</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law">Criminal</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Contract_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Contract law">Contract</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Tort_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Tort law">Tort</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Property_law" title="Property law">Property</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Will_(law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Will (law)">wills</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Trust_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Trust law">Trusts</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Estate_(law)" title="Estate (law)">Estates</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Evidence_(law)" title="Evidence (law)">Evidence</a></li></ul></div></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Portals</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Balance,_by_David.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/16px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="15" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/24px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/32px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="606" data-file-height="558" /></a></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Law" title="Portal:Law">Law portal</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Criminal_defenses" title="Template:Criminal defenses"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Criminal_defenses" title="Template talk:Criminal defenses"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Criminal_defenses" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Criminal defenses"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>In a <a href="/wiki/Civil_proceeding" class="mw-redirect" title="Civil proceeding">civil proceeding</a> or <a href="/wiki/Criminal_prosecution" class="mw-redirect" title="Criminal prosecution">criminal prosecution</a> under the <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a> or under <a href="/wiki/Statute" title="Statute">statute</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Defendant" title="Defendant">defendant</a> may raise a <b>defense</b> (or <b>defence</b>)<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in an effort to avert civil <a href="/wiki/Legal_liability" title="Legal liability">liability</a> or criminal conviction. A defense is put forward by a party to defeat a suit or action brought against the party, and may be based on legal grounds or on factual claims.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Besides contesting the accuracy of an <a href="/wiki/Allegation" title="Allegation">allegation</a> made against the defendant in the proceeding, the defendant may also make allegations against the prosecutor or plaintiff or raise a defense, arguing that, even if the allegations against the defendant are true, the defendant is nevertheless not liable. Acceptance of a defense by the court completely exonerates the defendant and not merely <a href="/wiki/Mitigation" title="Mitigation">mitigates</a> the liability. </p><p>The defense phase of a <a href="/wiki/Trial" title="Trial">trial</a> occurs after the <a href="/wiki/Prosecution" class="mw-redirect" title="Prosecution">prosecution</a> phase, that is, after the prosecution "rests". Other parts of the defense include the opening and closing arguments and the <a href="/wiki/Cross-examination" title="Cross-examination">cross-examination</a> during the prosecution phase. </p><p>Since a defense is raised by the defendant in a direct attempt to avoid what would otherwise result in liability, the defendant typically holds the <a href="/wiki/Legal_burden_of_proof" class="mw-redirect" title="Legal burden of proof">burden of proof</a>. For example, a defendant who is charged with <a href="/wiki/Assault" title="Assault">assault</a> may claim <a href="/wiki/Provocation_(legal)" class="mw-redirect" title="Provocation (legal)">provocation</a>, but they would need to prove that the plaintiff had provoked the defendant. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Common_law_defenses">Common law defenses</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Common law defenses"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Category:Equitable_defenses" title="Category:Equitable defenses">Category:Equitable defenses</a></div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">common law</a>, a defendant may raise any of the numerous defenses to limit or avoid liability. These include: </p> <ul><li>Lack of <a href="/wiki/Personal_jurisdiction" title="Personal jurisdiction">personal</a> or <a href="/wiki/Subject_matter_jurisdiction" class="mw-redirect" title="Subject matter jurisdiction">subject matter jurisdiction</a> of the court, such as <a href="/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity" title="Diplomatic immunity">diplomatic immunity</a>. (In law, this is not a defense as such but an argument that the case should not be heard at all.)</li> <li>Failure to state a <a href="/wiki/Cause_of_action" title="Cause of action">cause of action</a> or other insufficiencies of <a href="/wiki/Pleading" title="Pleading">pleading</a>.</li> <li>Any of the <a href="/wiki/Affirmative_defense" title="Affirmative defense">affirmative defenses</a>.</li> <li>Defenses conferred by statute – such as a <a href="/wiki/Statute_of_limitations" title="Statute of limitations">statute of limitations</a> or the <a href="/wiki/Statute_of_frauds" title="Statute of frauds">statute of frauds</a>.</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Ex_turpi_causa_non_oritur_actio" title="Ex turpi causa non oritur actio">Ex turpi causa non oritur actio</a></i> – the action against the defendant arises from an illegality.</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Volenti_non_fit_injuria" title="Volenti non fit injuria">Volenti non fit injuria</a></i> – <a href="/wiki/Consent" title="Consent">consent</a> by the victim or plaintiff.</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/In_pari_delicto" title="In pari delicto">In pari delicto</a></i> – both sides equally at fault.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_God" title="Act of God">Act of God</a> is an unforeseeable natural phenomenon which involves no human agency due directly to natural causes which cannot be foreseen.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Necessity_(tort)" title="Necessity (tort)"><i>Necessity</i></a> harm done to prevent a greater evil is not actionable even though the harm was caused intentionally.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mistake_(criminal_law)" title="Mistake (criminal law)">Mistake</a> whether of fact or of law is no defence to action.</li> <li>The law permits use of reasonable force to protect one's person or property. If force is used for self-defence they will not be liable for harm.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unclean_hands" class="mw-redirect" title="Unclean hands">Unclean hands</a>.</li></ul> <p>In addition to defenses against prosecution and liability, a defendant may also raise a defense of <a href="/wiki/Justification_(jurisprudence)" title="Justification (jurisprudence)">justification</a> – such as <a href="/wiki/Right_of_self-defense" title="Right of self-defense">self-defense and defense of others</a> or <a href="/wiki/Defense_of_property" class="mw-redirect" title="Defense of property">defense of property</a>. </p><p>In <a href="/wiki/English_law" title="English law">English law</a>, one could raise the argument of a <i>contramandatum</i>, which was an argument that the plaintiff had no cause for complaint.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Strategies">Strategies</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Strategies"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The defense in a <a href="/wiki/Homicide" title="Homicide">homicide</a> case may attempt to present evidence of the victim's character, to try to prove that the victim had a history of violence or of making threats of violence that suggest a violent character.<sup id="cite_ref-behan_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-behan-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The goal of presenting character evidence about the victim may be to make more plausible a claim of <a href="/wiki/Self-defense" title="Self-defense">self-defense</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-behan_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-behan-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or in the hope of accomplishing <a href="/wiki/Jury_nullification" title="Jury nullification">jury nullification</a> in which a jury acquits a guilty defendant despite its belief that the defendant committed a criminal act.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Costs">Costs</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Costs"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Litigation is expensive and often may last for months or years. Parties can finance their litigation and pay for their attorneys' fees or other legal costs in a number of ways. A defendant can pay with their own money, through legal defense funds, or <a href="/wiki/Legal_financing" title="Legal financing">legal financing</a> companies. For example, in the United Kingdom, a defendant's legal fees may be covered by <a href="/wiki/Legal_aid" title="Legal aid">legal aid</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Absolute_defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Absolute defense">Absolute defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lawsuit" title="Lawsuit">Lawsuit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_defense_fund" title="Legal defense fund">Legal defense fund</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_financing" title="Legal financing">Legal financing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Self-defense" title="Self-defense">Self-defense</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Atturnato_faciendo_vel_recipiendo" class="mw-redirect" title="Atturnato faciendo vel recipiendo">Atturnato faciendo vel recipiendo</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The traditional spelling "defence" was used in both <a href="/wiki/American_English" title="American English">American English</a> and <a href="/wiki/British_English" title="British English">British English</a> as late as the 1930s. Since then, Americans have come to regard "defence" as a British affectation and they use "defense" instead.<sup id="cite_ref-Garner_Page_257_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Garner_Page_257-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-Garner_Page_257-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Garner_Page_257_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFGarner2011" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Bryan_A._Garner" title="Bryan A. Garner">Garner, Bryan A.</a> (2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=O1m1bI5vCooC&pg=PA257"><i>Garner's Dictionary of Legal Usage</i></a> (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 257. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780195384208" title="Special:BookSources/9780195384208"><bdi>9780195384208</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 10,</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Garner%27s+Dictionary+of+Legal+Usage&rft.place=Oxford&rft.pages=257&rft.edition=3rd&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2011&rft.isbn=9780195384208&rft.aulast=Garner&rft.aufirst=Bryan+A.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DO1m1bI5vCooC%26pg%3DPA257&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGarner2009" class="citation book cs1">Garner, Bryan, ed. (2009). <i>Black's law dictionary</i> (9th ed.). St. Paul, MN: West. p. 482. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780314199492" title="Special:BookSources/9780314199492"><bdi>9780314199492</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Black%27s+law+dictionary&rft.place=St.+Paul%2C+MN&rft.pages=482&rft.edition=9th&rft.pub=West&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=9780314199492&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAllenPardo2003" class="citation journal cs1">Allen, Ronald J.; Pardo, Michael S. (2003). "The Myth of the Law-Fact Distinction". <i>Northwestern University Law Review</i>. <b>97</b> (4): 1769.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Northwestern+University+Law+Review&rft.atitle=The+Myth+of+the+Law-Fact+Distinction&rft.volume=97&rft.issue=4&rft.pages=1769&rft.date=2003&rft.aulast=Allen&rft.aufirst=Ronald+J.&rft.au=Pardo%2C+Michael+S.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Public Domain" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/12px-PD-icon.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/18px-PD-icon.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/PD-icon.svg/24px-PD-icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="196" data-file-height="196" /></span></span> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFChambers1728" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><a href="/wiki/Ephraim_Chambers" title="Ephraim Chambers">Chambers, Ephraim</a>, ed. (1728). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/HistSciTech/HistSciTech-idx?type=turn&entity=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01.p0474&id=HistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01&isize=M">"Contramandatum"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/Cyclop%C3%A6dia,_or_an_Universal_Dictionary_of_Arts_and_Sciences" title="Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences">Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences</a></i>. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. p. 318.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Contramandatum&rft.btitle=Cyclop%C3%A6dia%2C+or+an+Universal+Dictionary+of+Arts+and+Sciences&rft.pages=318&rft.edition=1st&rft.pub=James+and+John+Knapton%2C+et+al&rft.date=1728&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fdigicoll.library.wisc.edu%2Fcgi-bin%2FHistSciTech%2FHistSciTech-idx%3Ftype%3Dturn%26entity%3DHistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01.p0474%26id%3DHistSciTech.Cyclopaedia01%26isize%3DM&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-behan-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-behan_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-behan_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBehan2007" class="citation journal cs1">Behan, Christopher W. (2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.law.siu.edu/_common/documents/publications/behan/turnabout.pdf">"When Turnabout is Fair Play: Character Evidence and Self-Defense in Homicide and Assault Cases"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Oregon Law Review</i>. <b>86</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">733–</span>796. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150915094041/http://www.law.siu.edu/_common/documents/publications/behan/turnabout.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on 15 September 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">31 July</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Oregon+Law+Review&rft.atitle=When+Turnabout+is+Fair+Play%3A+Character+Evidence+and+Self-Defense+in+Homicide+and+Assault+Cases&rft.volume=86&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E733-%3C%2Fspan%3E796&rft.date=2007&rft.aulast=Behan&rft.aufirst=Christopher+W.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.law.siu.edu%2F_common%2Fdocuments%2Fpublications%2Fbehan%2Fturnabout.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKleiss1999" class="citation journal cs1">Kleiss, Mary K. (1999). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/ilr/pdf/vol32p1437.pdf">"A New Understanding of Specific Act Evidence in Homicide Cases Where the Accused Claims Self-Defense"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Indiana Law Review</i>. <b>32</b>: 1439. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.18060%2F3386">10.18060/3386</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170801050751/https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/ilr/pdf/vol32p1437.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on 1 August 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">31 July</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Indiana+Law+Review&rft.atitle=A+New+Understanding+of+Specific+Act+Evidence+in+Homicide+Cases+Where+the+Accused+Claims+Self-Defense&rft.volume=32&rft.pages=1439&rft.date=1999&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.18060%2F3386&rft.aulast=Kleiss&rft.aufirst=Mary+K.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fmckinneylaw.iu.edu%2Filr%2Fpdf%2Fvol32p1437.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFImwinkelreid2006" class="citation journal cs1">Imwinkelreid, Edward J. (January 2006). "An Evidentiary Paradox: Defending the Character Evidence Prohibition by Upholding a Non-Character Theory of Logical Relevance, the Doctrine of Chances". <i>University of Richmond Law Review</i>. <b>40</b> (2): 426.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=University+of+Richmond+Law+Review&rft.atitle=An+Evidentiary+Paradox%3A+Defending+the+Character+Evidence+Prohibition+by+Upholding+a+Non-Character+Theory+of+Logical+Relevance%2C+the+Doctrine+of+Chances&rft.volume=40&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=426&rft.date=2006-01&rft.aulast=Imwinkelreid&rft.aufirst=Edward+J.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid">"Legal aid"</a>. <i>GOV.UK</i>. Government of the United Kingdom.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=GOV.UK&rft.atitle=Legal+aid&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Flegal-aid&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADefense+%28legal%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Defense_(legal)&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/12px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/18px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/24px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span> Media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Legal_defenses" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Legal defenses">Legal defenses</a> at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul> <p><br /> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1271159938">.mw-parser-output .asbox{position:relative;overflow:hidden}.mw-parser-output .asbox table{background:transparent}.mw-parser-output .asbox p{margin:0}.mw-parser-output .asbox p+p{margin-top:0.25em}.mw-parser-output .asbox-body{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output .asbox-note{font-size:smaller}.mw-parser-output .asbox .navbar{position:absolute;top:-0.75em;right:1em;display:none}.mw-parser-output :not(p):not(.asbox)+style+.asbox,.mw-parser-output :not(p):not(.asbox)+link+.asbox{margin-top:3em}</style><div role="note" class="metadata plainlinks asbox stub"><table role="presentation"><tbody><tr class="noresize"><td><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Scale_of_justice_2.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Stub icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Scale_of_justice_2.svg/22px-Scale_of_justice_2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="22" height="22" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Scale_of_justice_2.svg/33px-Scale_of_justice_2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Scale_of_justice_2.svg/44px-Scale_of_justice_2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="204" data-file-height="208" /></a></span></td><td><p class="asbox-body">This <a href="/wiki/Law" title="Law">legal term</a> article is a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Stub" title="Wikipedia:Stub">stub</a>. 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