Legal Definitions - tender, plea of

Definition: A plea of tender is a legal argument that the defendant has been willing to pay the debt demanded by the plaintiff, has offered it to the plaintiff, and has brought the money into court ready to pay the plaintiff.

For example, if a person owes money to another person and is sued for the debt, they may use a plea of tender to argue that they have always been willing to pay the debt and have the money ready to do so. This plea can be used as a defense against the lawsuit.

The plea of tender is a way for the defendant to show that they have made a good faith effort to pay the debt and that the plaintiff is not entitled to any further damages or interest. It is a common law pleading that is still used in some jurisdictions today.