Tag Archives: defense attorneys
“Unclean Hands” as a Defense to Malicious Prosecution
What is the “Unclean Hands” Defense? “Unclean hands” belongs to the group of legal defenses known as “affirmative defenses.” Affirmative defenses are, as the name suggests, a type of defense in which the defendant claims that some other fact (or set of facts)–normally different from the facts at issue in the case itself–defeat or mitigate the… Read More »
Probable Cause in Malicious Prosecution Actions
EVERY CLAIM IN A LAWSUIT MUST BE SUPPORTED BY PROBABLE CAUSE Lawsuits often contain many different “claims” or causes of action. Every cause of action must be supported by probable cause–a reasonable belief that the claim is valid and supported by law. A plaintiff (and, in proper cases, a lawyer) who files a claim without… Read More »
What is Malicious Prosecution?
WHAT IS MALICIOUS PROSECUTION? In simple terms, “malicious prosecution” occurs when a plaintiff brings a lawsuit against a defendant with “malice”–specifically, with wrongful ulterior motives–and without probable cause to justify pursuit of a lawsuit. Malicious prosecution takes many forms, and occurs frequently in California (as elsewhere). While proving malicious prosecution can be tricky, malicious prosecution claims… Read More »
