noun
demurrer
dih-MUR-er/dɪˈmɜrər/
A formal objection that a legal claim is insufficient.
The defendant files a demurrer challenging the complaint's legal sufficiency.
Etymology
Anglo-French demurrer meant “to delay.” The noun first meant a pause or delay, then a legal objection that accepts the alleged facts but denies that they justify legal relief.
More examples
- The judge overrules the demurrer and allows the lawsuit to proceed.
- After the court sustains the demurrer, the plaintiff files an amended complaint.
- A demurrer challenges whether the allegations, taken as true, establish a legal claim.
Forms
demurrer · demurrers
demur verb — To object or express a reservation.