Apology in Court

For many people, offering an apology if they have wronged somebody comes naturally. In legal processes, defendants sometimes agree to make a public apology as part of an award in defamation cases. In most jurisdictions, evidence about an apology is admissible evidence in both tort and criminal cases and this can have both positive and negative legal implications.

A potentially positive consequence of a spontaneous apology that is made promptly is that it may counter the negative feelings victims experience. This may be beneficial because it can reduce the likelihood of litigation and increases the possibility of reaching an out-of-court settlement. If the matter goes to court, the fact that an apology was offered may serve as a mitigating factor in criminal law and lead to ...