Legal Definitions - allege

To allege means to formally state or claim that something is true, often within a legal or official context, even if that claim has not yet been proven. It is the act of making an assertion or accusation that typically requires evidence to support it at a later stage.

Here are some examples illustrating how the term "allege" is used:

• Example 1: Civil Lawsuit

  In a civil lawsuit concerning a construction project, the homeowner might allege that the contractor used substandard materials, leading to structural defects in the new addition. This means the homeowner is formally claiming this fact in their legal complaint, and they will later need to present evidence to prove it in court.

• Example 2: Criminal Investigation

  During a police investigation into a series of burglaries, the authorities might allege that a particular suspect was seen near the crime scenes on multiple occasions. This indicates that the police are formally stating this belief as part of their case, which they would then work to substantiate with witness statements, surveillance footage, or other evidence to support potential charges.

• Example 3: Workplace Complaint

  An employee filing a formal complaint with their company's human resources department might allege that they have been subjected to discriminatory treatment by their manager. This signifies that the employee is making a formal accusation of discrimination, which will prompt an internal investigation to determine the validity of the claim.