Migo Claim
A factual assertion made by a person in his own favor within a broader statement in which he admits facts against his interest. The fact that the speaker does not present only the most advantageous version for himself, but also admits facts that are unfavorable to him, suggests that his statements should be trusted.
("Migo" — "he could have said: these things never happened" — Shavuot 42a; and also: "In this matter I believed the defendant. His favor is also supported by the Migo claim. After all, had the defendant chosen to lie, why would he have had to admit that the complainant said the word 'no' twice... He could have denied these statements" — Judge S. Shoham / Crim. Case 496/93 in the Ashdod Magistrates' Court)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
טַעֲנַת מְיַגּוֹ
Definition (Hebrew)
טַעֲנָה עֻובְדָּתִית אוֹתָהּ טוֹעֵן אָדָם לְטוֹבָתוֹ בְּמִסְגֶּרֶת עֵדוּת כְּלָלִית בָּהּ הוּא מוֹדֶה בָּעֻבְדּוֹת שֶׁלְּרָעָתוֹ. הָעֻבְדָּה שֶׁאֵין הַטּוֹעֵן אֶת הַטַּעֲנָה הַטּוֹבָה בְּיוֹתֵר עֲבוּר עַצְמוֹ, אֶלָּא הוּא מוֹדֶה גַּם בְּעֻבְדּוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם לְטוֹבָתוֹ מַרְאָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִתֵּן אֵמוּן לִדְבָרָיו.
("מְיַגּוֹ- דְּיָכוֹל לְמֵימַר לֹא הָיוּ דְּבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם"- שָׁבוּעוֹת מב ע"א, וְכֵן:"בְּעִנְיָן זֶה הֶאֱמַנְתִּי לַנֶּאֱשָׁם. לִזְכוּתוֹ תַּעֲמֹד גַּם טַעֲנַת מְיַגּוֹ. שֶׁהֲרֵי,לוּ בָּחַר הַנֶּאֱשָׁם לְשַׁקֵּר- מַדּוּעַ הָיָה עָלָיו לְהוֹדוֹת כִּי הַמִּתְלוֹנֶנֶת אָמְרָה פַּעֲמַיִם אֶת הַמִּלָּה "לֹא"...יָכוֹל הָיָה לְהַכְחִישׁ אֲמִירוֹת אֵלֶּה"-הַשּׁוֹפֵט ש.שֹׁהַם/ ת.פ 496/93 בבימ"ש הַשָּׁלוֹם בְּאַשְׁדּוֹד)