JUSTIFICATION DEFENSE

justification defense.Criminal & tort law. A defense that arises when the defendant has acted in a way that the law does not seek to prevent. • Traditionally, the following defenses were justifications: consent, self-defense, defense of others, defense of property, necessity (choice of evils), the use of force to make an arrest, and the use of force by public authority. — Sometimes shortened to justification. Cf. EXCUSE(2). [Cases: Criminal Law 38; Torts 16. C.J.S. Criminal Law §§ 49–53; Right of Privacy and Publicity §§ 20, 28, 31–33, 44; Torts §§ 7, 12, 14–15, 51, 64, 92–93.]

[Blacks Law 8th]