Legal Definitions - subterfuge

Subterfuge refers to a deceptive tactic or scheme used to achieve a goal, often to conceal information, evade a rule, or avoid a difficult situation.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of subterfuge:

• Example 1: Business Dealings

  A company, aware that its product has a significant design flaw, drafts an extremely complex and lengthy user agreement with tiny print, hoping customers will not notice a clause that waives their right to sue for defects. This is a subterfuge because the company is using a clever, deceptive method (an intentionally obscure contract) to conceal the product flaw and avoid potential legal responsibility.

• Example 2: Online Identity

  An individual who is banned from an online forum for violating its rules creates a new account using a different email address and a slightly altered username to regain access. This action is a subterfuge because the individual is employing a deceptive trick (creating a new, disguised identity) to bypass the ban and re-enter the forum.

• Example 3: Legal Proceedings

  During a court-ordered discovery process, a party intentionally provides thousands of irrelevant documents mixed with a few crucial ones, hoping the opposing side will overlook the key evidence. This constitutes a subterfuge because the party is using a clever, deceptive maneuver (burying important information in a mass of extraneous material) to obscure critical facts and hinder the opposing side's case.