Defence

[L. Lat defensio; L. Fr. defence, defense, from defendre, to deny.] In pleading. A denial, by the defendant in an action at law, of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's complaint.

3 BL Com, 296.

A formula by which pleas were anciently in almost all actions required to be prefaced. It was of two kinds, full defence and half defence. The latter is still retained, and is in these words: " And the said defendant, by — his attorney, comes and defends the wrong (or force) and injury when, &c."

Stepk, PL (Am. ed. 1824,) ch. ii. sect. vii. rule v. 3 Beeves* Hist. Eng, Law, 428.

Termes de la ley. See Defend, Full Defence, Half Defence. The late pleading rules of the English courts have dispensed with this ancient formula, although they have not expressly prohibited its use.