👉 In the context of law, a "duress" refers to a situation where a person is forced or coerced into committing an act that they know is wrong. This can occur through threats, intimidation, or other means. Duresses are often used in legal contexts to describe situations where someone is under duress and cannot make a decision on their own. A "duress" defense is a legal strategy that allows someone who has been coerced into committing an act to argue that they were under