Forcing someone to sign - what's it called?

[Vas Liz]

Hi all,

Sorry for the stupid question, but out of curiosity, what is the crime called (if anything) of forcing a person to sign something under threat?

[leyton]

1. Coercion? Just a guess. n/t

[ewagner]

2. Duress? n/t

[Whitacre D_WI]

3. Signed under duress?

[Rowdyboy]

4. duress?

[Rowdyboy]

5. Damn, we're good!

:toast:

[Deja Q]

6. Marriage?

j/k :evilgrin:

I too say it's duress.

[Whitacre D_WI]

11. Ouch!

Ba-dum-bum!

[radwriter0555]

7. Fraud, bribery, extortion, coercion... depends on HOW they were forced

to sign something.

[Vas Liz]

13. Forced via threat

i.e. Sign this or X bad thing will happen.

[Elidor]

21. Forced via threat = extortion

[Blue-Jay]

8. It's called a mortgage.

Or "duress".

[Limbought]

9. Welcome To The DU, Vas Liz!

:hi:

[Art_from_Ark]

10. Coercion or duress

They are both appropriate in this case

[Vas Liz]

12. So "duress" would actually be the name of the crime?

I suppose I'm trying to find a single word for what the crime would be called. i.e. you get charged with "trespassing" if you are on someones property when you are told not to. So with this you would be charged with "duress"?

[liberalhistorian]

14. Why are you asking,

if you don't mind my wanting to know?

[Vas Liz]

18. Well

The thought occured to me that I don't know what the term is for it, and I don't see any reason not to learn it.

[eyesroll]

15. I don't know if it's a criminal offense

But courts can invalidate anything they rule to have been signed under duress (a marriage certificate, enlistment papers, a contract).

[Vas Liz]

16. Hmmm

Well that may be why I haven't been able to find a name for it.

[Art_from_Ark]

20. Sorry for the ambiguity

The legal term for the crime would seem to be coercion. Duress is defined as "compulsion by threat", which would seem to fit this case, although I've never heard of anyone arrested for "duress". And the term "signing under duress" would seem to apply to the victim, rather than the perpetrator.

[TrogL]

17. Walking a picket line

[denverbill]

19. The crime is the type of coercion.

If they threaten bodily injury, it's assault. If they threaten with revealing damaging info, that's blackmail.