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Simple English definitions for legal terms
recrimination
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A quick definition of recrimination:
Recrimination is a word used in law. It means when someone who is accused of doing something wrong, accuses the person who accused them of doing something wrong too. This can happen in a divorce case or a criminal case. It's like saying "you did something bad too!"
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: Recrimination is a legal term that refers to a countercharge made by the accused against the accuser. It can be used in family law or criminal law.
In a divorce case, if both parties have committed marital misconduct that would be grounds for divorce, neither can obtain a fault divorce. This is because of the prevalence of no-fault divorce. Recriminations are now virtually obsolete. For example, if one spouse accuses the other of adultery, the accused spouse may respond with a recrimination of their own, such as accusing the other spouse of cruelty.
In criminal law, recrimination refers to an accused person's counteraccusation against the accuser. For example, if someone is accused of theft, they may respond with a recrimination that the accuser stole from them first.
These examples illustrate how recrimination is used in legal situations where both parties are accused of wrongdoing. It is a way for the accused to defend themselves by pointing out the faults of the accuser.