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demurrer

demurrer

1 9.9
A formal court objection that says the other side's claim is not legally valid without denying the facts
  • noun
  • /dɪˈmɜːrər/
  • Formal
translation icon : demurrer
  • The lawyer submitted a demurrer to challenge the sufficiency of the plaintiff's claims.

Examples

  • Demurrers have been filed, of course.

    Academic text (2007)
  • And I have here 84 motions to strike and demurrers... ...submitted by representatives of Pacific Gas & Electric.

  • I agree with most of what you say, but I do want to register one demurrer.

    Blog text (20)
  • It is the equivalent of taking a demurrer in court.

    Blog text (1)
  • First of all, since the demurrer, we have more than 400 plaintiffs.

  • PG&E will submit a demurrer.

  • Otherwise, they wouldn't have dropped the demurrers.

  • In the matter of the plaintiffs of Hinkley, California vs. PG&E... ...it is the order of this court that each of the 84 motions to strike... ...and demurrers are denied.

  • That gives lawyers room to manipulate the system, and courts have upheld the use of such old litigation favorites as demurrers, motions in limine, and summary judgment in arbitration.

    Academic text (1996)
  • In court, the defendant's demurrer argued that the evidence presented was insufficient to support the case.

Synonyms

demur
vsdemurrer
  • Jargon
1 9.9

An official objection that the facts do not make a legal case

is the formal court filing that names that procedural objection
demurral
vsdemurrer
  • Formal
1 8.9

An objection or refusal, usually as a formal protest

is the specific legal procedural objection rather than a general protest

Antonyms

104 2.7

Being approved or welcomed by other people

5 7.2

Agreement in opinion or plan among people

How Strong

dismissal
  • Formal
22 5.1
demurrer
  • Formal
1 9.9
objection
292 3.6

Surface Forms

demurrer singular
demurrers plural

Morphology

demurrer = demur (opaque) = demur + er

The legal meaning of 'demurrer' as a formal objection in court is not directly derivable from the verb 'demur'.

Etymology

Demurrer comes from the verb demur, which originally meant 'to delay' or 'hesitate'. So a demurrer is a formal 'objection' in court that asks the judge to pause and say the other side's claim is not legally enough, without arguing the facts.