Dictionary Search: "Confession" - Pakistan Law Portal

Confession

n. A criminal suspect's acknowledgment of guilt, usu, in writing and often including details about the crime. Cf. ADMISSION; STATEMENT."A confession is an acknowledgment in express words, by the accused in a criminal case, of the truth of the main fact charged or of some essential part of it." 3 John H. Wigmore, Evidence in Trials at Common Lam § 821, at 308 (James H. Chadbourn ed., 4th rev. ed. 1970)."The distinction between admissions in criminal cases and confessions by the accused is the distinction in effect between admissions of fact from which the guilt of the accused may be inferred by the jury and the express admission of guilt itself." William P. Richardson, The Law of Evidence § 394, at 268 (3d ed. 1928).

Westminster Confession

A document containing a statement of religious doctrine, originating at a conference of British and continental Protestant divines at Westminster in 1643, and becoming the basis of the Scottish Presbyterian Church.

coerced confession

A confession that is obtained by threats or force.

confession and avoidance

A plea in which a defendant admits allegations but pleads additional facts that deprive the admitted facts of an adverse legal effect. * For example, a plea of contributory negligence (before the advent of comparative negligence) was a confession and avoidance. - Also termed avoidance; plea in confession and avoidance; plea of confession and avoidance.

confession of judgment

1. A person's agreeing to the entry of judgment upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event, such as making a payment. 2. A judgment taken against a debtor by the creditor, based on the debtor's written consent. 3. The paper on which the person so agrees, before it is entered. - Also termed confessed judgment; cog-nouit judgment; statement of confession. See COGNOVIT. Cf. WARRANT OF ATTORNEY.

confession of judgment.

See CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT.

direct confession

A statement in which an accused person acknowledges having committed the crime.

extrajudicial confession

See CONFESSION.

extrqjudicial confession

A confession made out of court, and not as a part of a judicial examination or investigation. ( Such a confession must be corroborated by some other proof of the corpus delicti, or else it is insufficient to warrant a conviction. Cf. judicial confession.

implied confession

A confession in which the person does not plead guilty but invokes the mercy of the court and asks for a light sentence.

indirect confession

A confession that is inferred from the defendant's conduct.

indirect confession.

See CONFESSION

interlocking confessions

See CONFESSION

involuntary confession

A confession induced by the police or other law-enforcement authorities who make promises to, coerce, or deceive the suspect.

judicial confession

A plea of guilty or some other direct manifestation of guilt in court or in a judicial proceeding. Cf extrajudicial confession.

naked confession