Admission in United Kingdom

Definition of Admission

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Admission :

1. In civil proceedings, a statement by a party to litigation or by his duly authorized agent that is adverse to the party’s case. Admissions may be informal (i.e. in a document or by word of mouth) or formal (i.e. made in a statement of case or in reply to a request for further information). An admission may be related to the court by someone other than the person who made it under an exception to the rule against *hearsay evidence.

2. In criminal proceedings, a statement admitting an offence or a fact that constitutes legally acceptable evidence of the offence or fact. Admissions may be informal or formal. An informal admission is called a *confessio A formal admission may be made either before or at the hearing, but if not made in court, it must be in writing and signed by the defendant or his legal adviser. An admission may be made in respect of any fact about which *oral evidence could be given and is *conclusive evidence of the fact admitted at all criminal proceedings relating to the matter, although it may be withdrawn at any stage with the permission of the court. A plea of guilty to a charge read out in court is a formal admission

See also cautio