special pleading


noun
  1. Law. pleading that alleges special or new matter in avoidance of the allegations made by the opposite side.

  2. pleading or arguing that ignores unfavorable features of a case.

Origin of special pleading

1
First recorded in 1675–85

Words Nearby special pleading

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use special pleading in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for special pleading

special pleading

nounlaw
  1. a pleading that alleges new facts that offset those put forward by the other side rather than directly admitting or denying those facts

  2. a pleading that emphasizes the favourable aspects of a case while omitting the unfavourable

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012