term:

Justify

justify vb

-fied
-fy·ing
vt
1 : to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable [does not a denial of bail]
2 : to show to have had a legally sufficient reason or cause [a defendant may not set up his own standard of conduct to or excuse himself "State v. Doss, 568 P.2d 1054 (1977)"]
vi
1 : to show a legally sufficient reason for an act
2 : to swear an oath as to the ownership of sufficient property [they shall in an amount no less than $200 "Oregon Revised Statutes"]
;also
: to qualify as a surety by swearing such an oath [the defendants sought to as bail "State v. Blaisdell, 253 A.2d 341 (1969)"]

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.