Alibi: legal definition and example

Definition

An alibi is evidence or justification that shows the accused was elsewhere when the crime was committed.

Example

Imagine you’ve been accused of a crime you didn’t commit. You’re innocent, but nobody believes you. This is where an alibi can make all the difference. An alibi is concrete proof that you were elsewhere when the crime was committed. For example, if you were having dinner with friends in a restaurant on the other side of town, that can be a solid alibi. It may sound simple, but an alibi can be the difference between freedom and prison. That’s why it’s important to understand what it means and how to prove it if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

Quote and reference

Here’s a quote from the Criminal Code of Canada on the legal term “alibi”:

“258(1) In any prosecution for an offence, the accused may plead an alibi, that is, that he was elsewhere at the time the offence was committed, and it is then incumbent on the prosecution to prove that the accused was present at the place where the offence was committed.”