Legal Definitions - information and belief

Definition: “Information and Belief” is a phrase commonly used in legal documents like complaints, answers, affidavits, and declarations. It is used to indicate that the person making the statement is only stating what they have been told and what they believe to be true. This phrase is used to distinguish between statements that the person is sure about and statements that they are unsure about or lack personal knowledge of.

Example: "Plaintiff is informed and believes, and upon such information and belief, alleges that defendant diverted the funds to his own use."

Explanation: In this example, the person making the statement is indicating that they have been informed of something and they believe it to be true, but they do not have personal knowledge of it. This phrase is used to protect the person making the statement from claims of perjury or falsehood.