Legal Definitions - solemn admission

A solemn admission, also known as a judicial admission, is a formal statement made by a party or their attorney during a legal proceeding that acknowledges a fact as true. Because it is made within the context of a lawsuit, it is considered highly reliable and binding. Once a solemn admission is made, the fact it concerns is treated as established and does not need to be proven by the opposing side. This helps streamline legal proceedings by narrowing down the issues that are in dispute.

Here are some examples illustrating a solemn admission:

• Imagine a car accident case where the plaintiff claims the defendant ran a red light. During a deposition (a sworn out-of-court testimony), the defendant states, "Yes, I admit I was distracted and drove through the red light."

  How it illustrates the term: This statement is a solemn admission because it is a formal acknowledgment of a key fact (running the red light) made under oath by a party in the lawsuit. The plaintiff no longer needs to present evidence to prove the defendant ran the red light; that fact is now accepted as true for the purposes of the case.

• In a contract dispute, a company is suing a supplier for failing to deliver goods on time. During a pre-trial conference with the judge, the supplier's attorney states, "Your Honor, we concede that the goods were delivered three weeks late, but we dispute the amount of damages claimed."

  How it illustrates the term: The attorney's statement is a solemn admission that the goods were delivered late. This fact is now established, and the court will proceed on the understanding that the late delivery occurred. The focus of the trial will shift to other disputed issues, such as whether the delay caused the damages the company is claiming.

• During the discovery phase of a lawsuit concerning a property sale, one party sends a request to the other party asking them to admit the authenticity of a specific deed. The other party formally responds, "We admit that the attached document is a true and accurate copy of the deed for the property in question."

  How it illustrates the term: This formal response is a solemn admission. By admitting the authenticity of the deed, the party eliminates the need for the opposing side to call a witness or present other evidence to prove that the deed is genuine. The court will accept the deed as authentic for the purposes of the case.