What is an affirmative defense?

An affirmative defense is a legal strategy used by a defendant to acknowledge that they committed the act in question, but assert that there was a valid reason for doing so that should absolve them of legal responsibility. This means that while the defendant admits to the behavior, they provide evidence or arguments that justify their actions.

For example, self-defense can be an affirmative defense whereby the accused claims they acted to protect themselves from imminent harm, thus justifying their actions in the eyes of the law. This differs from simply denying participation in the crime or asserting that the defendant did nothing wrong, which does not involve an admission of the act itself.

The other options describe different concepts that do not accurately represent the essence of an affirmative defense, such as methods of proving innocence, justifying crime without admission of the act, or specific mental health defenses like temporary insanity.