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The mutual pleas and replies of the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point. Blackstone.

A counter-statement of facts in a course of pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has alleged; a responsive declaration by a witness in reply to a question. In Equity, it is the usual form of defense to the complainant's charges in his bill. Bouvier.

To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.

One who draws pleadings or other writings.

To make the subject of a lawsuit; to contest in law; to prosecute or defend by pleadings, exhibition of evidence, and judicial debate in a court; as, to litigate a cause.

One who draws up or forms pleas; the draughtsman of pleas or pleadings in the widest sense; as, a special pleader.

A second pleading, or course of pleadings; also, the right of pleading again. Whenever a repleader is granted, the pleadings must begin de novo. Blackstone.

The Beaks; the stage or platform in the forum where orations, pleadings, funeral harangues, etc., were delivered; -- so called because after the Latin war, it was adorned with the beaks of captured vessels; later, applied also to other platforms erected in Rome for the use of public orators.

devoted himself to drawing special counts and pleas; in a wider sense, a lawyer who draws pleadings. -- Special pleading (Law), the allegation of special or new matter, as distingiushed from a direct denial of matter previously alleged on the side. Bouvier. The popular denomination of the whole science of pleading. St…