Updated 6 November 2026
Formal apologies and admissions, and what they mean in law
Apology laws, formal state apologies, court-ordered corrective statements and the duty of candour, from the official record.
Apology laws
Apology laws comparedA side by side look at apology laws in England and Wales, Scotland, Manitoba, New South Wales and three US states, with what each protects and excludes.What apology laws doHow apology laws stop an apology being used as an admission of fault, with examples from England, Scotland, Canada, Australia and US states.Without admission of liability, explainedWhat 'without admission of liability' means in settlements, apologies and official statements, and the laws and rules that give it effect.
State apologies
How official apologies are recordedWhere formal state apologies are recorded: parliamentary journals and debates, statutes and resolutions, government transcripts and archived documents.State apologies explainedHow governments and parliaments make formal apologies, who delivers them, how they link to compensation and liability, with official examples.
Ordered apologies and candour
Apologies and press regulatorsWhat press councils can require when a complaint is upheld, from corrections and published rulings to apologies, in the UK, Australia, NZ, India and more.Court-ordered apologies and corrective statementsHow courts order apologies, judgment summaries and corrective statements, with examples from South Africa, England and Wales and the United States.Duty of candour explainedWhat the statutory duty of candour requires of health and care providers in England, Scotland, Wales and Victoria, including the required apology.