exculpatory

adj

1. Tending to excuse or clear of wrongdoing.

   “[I]t remains only to examine the Relevancy of the two general exculpatory Defences pled for the Pannells.”

   “In the case of the King against Owen, the judge allowed the defendant to produce exculpatory evidence to the jury. In order to shew, that he had no malicious or traitorous intention in publishing the libel, with which he was charged, the court permitted him to plead, that during the rebellion, he had printed many papers in defence of the government and Hanoverian succession.”

   “He [Alexander Pope] wrote an exculpatory letter to the Duke [James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos], who accepted of his excuſe, without believing his profeſſions.”

   “[T]hey always used the most abject language, and the most humble tone and posture—"Please your honour,—and please your honour's honour," they knew must be repeated as a charm at the beginning and end of every equivocating, exculpatory, or supplicatory sentence— [...]”

   “This apology, I am not unaware, has been advanced by some of our heroine's friends, and been admitted as exculpatory by others.”