special pleading

noun

Law. pleading that alleges special or new matter in avoidance of the allegations made by the opposite side.
pleading or arguing that ignores unfavorable features of a case.

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Origin of special pleading

First recorded in 1675–85

Words nearby special pleading

special olympics, special order, special partner, special partnership, special plea, special pleading, special privilege, special prosecutor, special relativity, special rule, special school
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for special pleading

British Dictionary definitions for special pleading

special pleading

noun law

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