special appearance

noun

: an appearance by a party in court for the sole purpose of challenging the court's assertion of personal jurisdiction over the party compare general appearance

Note: Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the rules of states that have adopted it, the use of a special appearance to challenge jurisdiction has been abolished, and jurisdiction may be challenged in the pleadings or in a pretrial motion.

Dictionary Entries Near special appearance

Cite this Entry

“Special appearance.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/special%20appearance. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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