The Law Dictionary

Your Free Online Legal Dictionary • Featuring Black’s Law Dictionary, 2nd Ed.

IMPERTINENCE Definition & Legal Meaning

Definition & Citations:

Irrelevancy; the fault of not properly pertaining to the issue orproceeding. The introduction of any matters into a bill, answer, or other pleading orproceeding in a suit, which are not properly before the court for decision, at anyparticular stage of the suit Story, Eq. PI.I 206; Harrison v. Perea, 168 U. S. 311, 18 Sup. Ct. 129, 42 L Ed. 478.In practice. A question propounded to a witness, or evidence offered or sought to beelicited, is called “impertinent” when it has no logical bearing upon the issue, is notnecessarily connected with it, or does not belong to the matter in hand. On the distinctionbetween pertinency and relevancy, we may quote the following remark of Dr.Wharton: “Relevancy is that which conduces to the proof of a pertinent hypothesis: apertinent hypothesis being one which, if sustained, would logically influence the issue.”1 Whart. Ev.

Disclaimer

This article contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation. The Law Dictionary is not a law firm, and this page does not create an attorney-client or legal adviser relationship. If you have specific questions, please consult a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.