jus·ti·fy /'jəs-tə-ˌfī/ vb -fied, -fy·ing
vt
1: to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable
does not justify a denial of bail
2: to show to have had a legally sufficient reason or cause
a defendant may not set up his own standard of conduct to justify or excuse himself — State v. Doss, 568 P.2d 1054 (1977)
vi
1: to show a legally sufficient reason for an act
2: to swear an oath as to the ownership of sufficient property
they shall justify in an amount no less than $200 — Oregon Revised Statutes; also: to qualify as a surety by swearing such an oath
the defendants sought to justify as bail — State v. Blaisdell, 253 A.2d 341 (1969)
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.