protestation
protestation (prot-[schwa]-stay-sh[schwa]n). 1. Common-law pleading. A declaration by which a party makes an oblique allegation or denial of some fact, claiming that it does or does not exist or is or is not legally sufficient, while not directly affirming or denying the fact. [Cases: Pleading 128.] “The practice of protestation of facts not denied arose […]