Disjunctive Allegations [Denial]

"those which charge that the defendant did one thing or another. The rule is that, whenever the word ‘or' would leave the averment uncertain as to which of two or more things is meant, it is inadmissible." 419 P. 2d 569, 574. A disjunctive allegation that charges the commission of a crime by one act ‘or' another is defective if it is not sufficiently clear to enable the defendant to be properly informed of what he is charged with so that he can prepare a defense. Id. The same standard is applied to pleadings in civil cases, where both disjunctive allegations and disjunctive denials generally constitute defective pleadings and are therefore inadmissible. See 41 A. 2d 270, 271. Compare alternative pleading; denial[conjunctive denial]. See also negative pregnant.