Duress – this term describes a situation where a person is prevented from acting (or not acting) according to their free will, by threats or force of another person, it is said to be “under duress”. Contracts signed under duress are voidable if this is claimed not later than 1 year after signing (per the Provisions of the Contract Law) and, in many places, you cannot be pursued to fulfil the clauses of the contract, or to be convicted of a crime if you can prove that you were forced or threatened into committing the crime (although this defence may not be available for some serious crimes).