Legal Definitions - de fine force

Definition: De fine force (dee fI-nee fors) is a term from Law French that means "of pure necessity."

Example: A person may use de fine force as a defense in court if they were forced to commit a crime because they had no other choice. For example, if someone was being held at gunpoint and forced to rob a bank, they could argue that they did so out of de fine force.

Explanation: De fine force is a legal term that acknowledges that sometimes people are forced to do things they wouldn't normally do because they have no other choice. The example illustrates this by showing how someone who was forced to commit a crime could use de fine force as a defense in court.