Negative pregnant - sustany/dvg GitHub Wiki

A negative pregnant is the denial of some part of an allegation such that the denial is �pregnant� with the possibility that the allegation as a whole may still be true, except for that detail. In other words, an individual�s refusal to categorically deny the entirety of an allegation gives that individual�s denial an implied meaning that is closer to an admission that the allegation is mostly true.

For example, if a teenage defendant who is accused of theft by conversion of her friend�s lollipop and silver necklace on January 2, 2014 issues a denial stating, �I did not steal my friend�s silver necklace on January 2, 2014,� this denial is pregnant with the possibility that:

1. the defendant stole the silver necklace on another day, and/or that

2. the defendant did steal the lollipop on that day.