NEUTRALIZATION

neutralization. 1. The act of making something ineffective. 2.Int’l law. The process by which a country’s integrity has been permanently guaranteed by international treaty, conditionally on its maintaining a perpetual neutrality except in its own defense. • Switzerland is the only remaining example, having been neutralized by the Treaty of Vienna in 1815 — a provision reaffirmed by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. 3. The act of declaring certain persons or property neutral and safe from capture. See NEUTRAL PROPERTY . 4.Evidence. The cancellation of unexpected harmful testimony from a witness by showing, usu. by cross-examination, that the witness has made conflicting statements. • For example, a prosecutor may attempt to neutralize testimony of a state witness who offers unexpected adverse testimony. See IMPEACHMENT(2).

[Blacks Law 8th]