CONFESSION, in a civil sense, a declaration or acknowledgement of some truth, though against the interest of the party who makes it; whether it be in a court of justice or out of it. It is a maxim, that in civil matters, the confession is never to be divided, but always taken entire. A criminal is never condemned on his simple confession, without other collateral proofs; nor is a voluntary extrajudicial confession admitted as any proof. A person is not admitted to accuse him-
self, according to that rule in law, Non auditur perire volens. See ARRAIGNMENT.