An affirmative defense is a defense that bars a claim. An affirmative defense must be pled to avoid unfair surprise or prejudice to the opposing party. However it need not be pled in those instances where it is apparent from the allegations that are pled by the plaintiff that it is unrelated to the elements of the plaintiff’s claim. New Dimensions v. Tarquini, 286 Va. 28 (2013)
Exceptions to the general rule that affirmative defenses must be pled are that the issue was not raised in the plaintiff’s pleadings, is not an absolute bar and the defense is addressed by statute. There are a host of affirmative defenses that are available not just in auto accident cases but cases in general:
- Absence of proper parties;[1]
- Accord and satisfaction;[2]
- Arbitration required;[3]
- Assumption of the risk;[4]
- Bankruptcy;[5]
- Bona fide purchaser;[6]
- Breach of warranty or breach of contract;[7]
- Charitable immunity;[8]
- Collateral estoppel;[9]
- Condemnation not for public purpose;[10]
- Consent, ratification, or affirmation;[11]
- Constructive eviction;[12]
- Contributory negligence;[13]
- Discharge in bankruptcy;[14]
- Duress;[15]
- Economic loss rule;[16]
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act;[17]
- Estoppel;[18]
- Evidence obtained illegally;[19]
- Failure and/or lack of consideration;[20]
- Failure to mitigate damages;[21]
- Federal preemption;[22]
- First breaching party is barred from enforcement of a contract;[23]
- Fraud or mistake;[24]
- Full or partial payment;[25]
- Illegality;[26]
- Infancy;[27]
- In pari delicto;[28]
- Laches;[29]
- Lack of jurisdiction;[30]
- Material misrepresentation on an insurance policy;[31]
- Merger;[32]
- If there is no actual controversy pending between the parties at present, then the court must dismiss the case;[33]
- Negligence of a party or non-party;
- No justiciable controversy;[34]
- Novation;[35]
- Participation in an immoral or illegal act;[36]
- Qualified privilege or justification;[37]
- Release;[38]
- Res judicata;[39]
- Self-defense;[40]
- Source of duty rule;[41]
- Sovereign immunity;[42]
- Statute of frauds;[43]
- Statute of limitations;[44]
- Sudden emergency;[45]
- Unavoidable accident;[46]
- Unclean hands;[47]
- Unconscionability;[48]
- Usury;[49]
- Waiver;[50] and
- Workers’ compensation immunity.[51]
[1] New Dimensions, Inc., 286 Va. 28, 743 S.E.2d 267.
[2] Va. Code § 8.3A-311 (dealing with instruments); Brown v. Sparks, 262 Va. 567, 554 S.E.2d 449 (2001).
[3] Seguin v. Northrop Grumman Sys. Corp., 277 Va. 244, 672 S.E.2d 877 (2009).
[4] Arndt v. Russillo, 231 Va. 328, 332, 343 S.E.2d 84, 87 (1986).
[5] New Dimensions, Inc., 286 Va. 28, 743 S.E.2d 267.
[6] Baumann v. Capozio, 269 Va. 356, 611 S.E.2d 597 (2005).
[7] Countryside Orthopaedics, P.C. v. Peyton, 261 Va. 142, 541 S.E.2d 279 (2001).
[8] UVA Health Servs. Found. v. Morris, 275 Va. 319, 657 S.E.2d 512 (2008).
[9] Va. R. 1:6; Rhoten v. Commonwealth, 286 Va. 262, 750 S.E.2d 110 (2013); Dual & Assocs., Inc. v. Wells, 241 Va. 542, 545-46, 403 S.E.2d 354, 356 (1991).
[10] Town of Rocky Mount v. Wenco, Inc., 256 Va. 316, 322, 506 S.E.2d 17, 21 (1998).
[11] Ward v. NationsBank, N.A., 256 Va. 427, 433, 507 S.E.2d 616, 620 (1998).
[12] North Ridge Apts. v. Ruffin, 257 Va. 481, 483-84, 514 S.E.2d 759, 761 (1999).
[13] Ponirakis v. Choi, 262 Va. 119, 124, 546 S.E.2d 707, 710 (2001). The mere allegation of contributory negligence is sufficient to raise this defense, Va. R. 3:18(b), but contributory negligence must be pled or shown by the plaintiff’s evidence. Va. R. 3:18(b), (c).
[14] 11 U.S.C. § 727.
[15] Ford v. Engleman, 118 Va. 89, 86 S.E. 852 (1915).
[16] Abi-Najm v. Concord Condo., LLC, 280 Va. 350, 699 S.E.2d 483 (2010).
[17] 15 U.S.C. § 1691.
[18] Luddeke v. Amana Refrigeration, Inc., 239 Va. 203, 387 S.E.2d 502 (1990).
[19] In a criminal case, a motion to suppress is appropriate. Suppression because of violations of constitutional or statutory law by law enforcement is an extensive subject and beyond the scope of this book. See Defending Criminal Cases in Virginia (Virginia CLE 2025) for a comprehensive discussion.
[20] Brewer v. First Nat’l Bank, 202 Va. 807, 120 S.E.2d 273 (1961).
[21] This is not a defense that needs to be pled, especially because a defendant may not know about it until the plaintiff’s evidence is presented. Foreman v. E. Caligari & Co., 204 Va. 284, 290, 130 S.E.2d 447, 451 (1963). Remember that (i) the conduct of the plaintiff must only be reasonable; (ii) the plaintiff’s failure must have caused a worsening of damage; and (iii) the burden of proof is on the defendant.
[22] Blue Cross & Blue Shield v. St. Mary’s Hosp., Inc., 245 Va. 24, 31, 426 S.E.2d 117, 121 (1993).
[23] Denton v. Browntown Valley Assocs., Inc., 294 Va. 76, 88, 803 S.E.2d 490, 497 (2017) (citing Countryside Orthopaedics, P.C. v. Peyton, 261 Va. 142, 541 S.E.2d 279 (2001)).
[24] Langman v. Alumni Ass’n of Univ. of Va., 247 Va. 491, 502-03, 442 S.E.2d 669, 676-77 (1994).
[25] Thompson v. Air Power, 248 Va. 364, 373-74, 448 S.E.2d 598, 604 (1994).
[26] Martin v. Ziherl, 269 Va. 35, 607 S.E.2d 367 (2005).
[27] New Dimensions, Inc. v. Tarquini, 286 Va. 28, 743 S.E.2d 267 (2013).
[28] Heflinger v. Heflinger, 136 Va. 289, 118 S.E. 316 (1923).
[29] Stewart v. Lady, 251 Va. 106, 465 S.E.2d 782 (1996).
[30] Baumann v. Capozio, 269 Va. 356, 611 S.E.2d 597 (2005).
[31] Va. Code § 38.2-309; Mutual of Omaha Ins. Co. v. Echols, 207 Va. 949, 953-54, 154 S.E.2d 169, 172 (1967).
[32] Davis v. Tazewell Place Assocs., 254 Va. 257, 492 S.E.2d 162 (1997).
[33] E.C. v. Virginia Dep’t of Juvenile Justice, 283 Va. 522, 530, 722 S.E.2d 827, 831 (2012).
[34] Erie Ins. Grp. v. Hughes, 240 Va. 165, 170, 393 S.E.2d 210, 212 (1990).
[35] Commonwealth v. Sheriff of Nottoway Cnty., 221 Va. 306, 269 S.E.2d 815 (1980).
[36] Lee v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 255 Va. 279, 282-83, 497 S.E.2d 328, 329 (1998).
[37] Lockheed Info. Mgmt. Sys. Co. v. Maximus, Inc., 259 Va. 92, 105, 524 S.E.2d 420, 427 (2000).
[38] Id.
[39] Smith v. Ware, 244 Va. 374, 376, 421 S.E.2d 444, 445 (1992).
[40] McGhee v. Commonwealth, 219 Va. 560, 562, 248 S.E.2d 808, 810 (1978).
[41] Augusta Mut. Ins. Co. v. Mason, 274 Va. 199, 645 S.E.2d 290 (2007).
[42] Colby v. Boyden, 241 Va. 125, 129, 400 S.E.2d 184, 186-87 (1991); Heider v. Clemons, 241 Va. 143, 145, 400 S.E.2d 190, 191 (1991).
[44] Va. Code § 8.01-230 et seq.
[45] Vahdat v. Holland, 274 Va. 417, 649 S.E.2d 691 (2007).
[46] Harrah v. Washington, 252 Va. 285, 477 S.E.2d 281 (1996).
[47] Richards v. Musselman, 221 Va. 181, 267 S.E.2d 164 (1980).
[48] Envirotech Corp. v. Halco Eng’g, Inc., 234 Va. 583, 364 S.E.2d 215 (1988).
[49] New Dimensions, Inc. v. Tarquini, 286 Va. 28, 743 S.E.2d 267 (2013).
[50] Baumann v. Capozio, 269 Va. 356, 611 S.E.2d 597 (2005).
Affirmative Defenses Auto Accidents-Pleading the Facts
Most lawyers that raise affirmative defenses do not state the facts in support of the affirmative defense. They should. Rule 1:4(d) states that as to claims and defenses, the facts must be stated. This is confirmed in Rule 3:18(b) which says that in regards to contributory negligence, the facts do not need to be stated. That means as to other defenses, they must be stated. Virginia is referred to as a “notice pleading jurisdiction”. However there has to be sufficient definiteness in the pleading so as to allow the court to find the existence of a legal basis for the relief requested. Squire v. Virginia Housing Development Authority, 287 Va. 507, 514 (2014); AH v. Church of God 297 Va. 604, 613 (2019)
In addition, Va. Code § 8.01-271.1 requires that a pleading be well-grounded in fact. Ford Motor Co. v. Benitez, 273 Va. 242, 249 (2007)
Failure to state these facts is a basis for filing a Demurrer/Motion to Strike to the Defense. Va. Code § 8.01-273
Call, or contact us for a free consult. Also for more info on hearsay see the Wikipedia pages. Also see the post on this site dealing with personal injury issues.
