Retraction is to take back something previously stated. Retraction may occur with reference to a confession of a crime or to an anticipatory breach of a contract. Additionally, in the context of defamation suits, a retraction of the language giving rise to potential liability may be a defense. For example, in Twin Coast Newspaper, Inc. v. Superior Court, a California Court of Appeals set aside an order finding defamation where the newspaper issued a retraction of the defamatory article which “appeared in the same location as the defamatory subheadline, [with] larger type than the defamatory subheadline,” and fully corrected the defamatory subheadline.
[Last updated in April of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]