Legal Definitions - PRO DEF

PRO DEF is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase PRO DEFENDENTE, which translates to "for the defendant" or "on behalf of the defendant." This term is used in legal settings to indicate that an action, argument, or filing is made in support of, or to protect the interests of, the defendant in a legal case.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of PRO DEFENDENTE:

• Example 1: Filing a Motion
  A defense attorney submits a motion to the court requesting that certain evidence be excluded from the trial, arguing that it was obtained improperly. This motion is filed pro def because its sole purpose is to benefit the defendant by preventing potentially damaging information from being presented to the jury.

• Example 2: Court Record Notation
  In the official minutes of a court hearing, the clerk might note, "Counsel appeared pro def to contest the prosecution's request for a continuance." This indicates that the attorney was present and acting specifically on behalf of the defendant to oppose the delay in proceedings.

• Example 3: Legal Strategy
  During a civil lawsuit where a company is accused of negligence, the legal team representing the company develops a strategy to argue that the plaintiff's injuries were pre-existing and not caused by the company's actions. This entire defense strategy is considered pro def, as it is designed to protect the defendant company from liability and financial damages.