What does alibi mean in criminal law?

A claim or piece of evidence that a person was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.

An alibi can be proved by a plane ticket indicating a date travelled, A hotel receipt on another city or town indicating it was impossible for one to commit the crime since he/she was not present on that particular day.

In most jurisdictions, defendants have to provide prosecutors with written notice that they intend to present an alibi defense. A failure to do so often precludes the accused from raising the defense.

If a defendant does raise the defense during trial, a prosecutor can try to refute it by showing that the accused never gave notice of the defense, and/or challenging any evidence (for example, physical evidence or witness testimony) that the defendant presents to support his/her alibi.