Replication

In COMMON-LAW PLEADING, the response of a plaintiff to the defendant's plea in an action at law, or to the defendant's answer in a suit in EQUITY.

Common-law PLEADING required the plaintiff to set out the claim in a declaration or, in equity, in a bill. The defendant responded with a plea or answer. When the defendant raised a new point in his or her response, the plaintiff was required to introduce an additional fact that defeated this new point. The plaintiff had an opportunity to respond in a paper called a replication. The modern equivalent is known as the reply.