surplusage
surplusage (s[schwa]r-pl[schwa]s-ij). 1. Redundant words in a statute or legal instrument; language that does not add meaning (the court must give effect to every word, reading nothing as mere surplusage). [Cases: Statutes 202, 206. C.J.S. Statutes § 327.] 2. Extraneous matter in a pleading (allegations that are irrelevant to the case will be treated as […]