What is a claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere during a criminal act called?

An alibi is a claim or piece of evidence that demonstrates a person's presence at a different location from where a crime took place, effectively providing a defense against allegations of wrongdoing. In legal contexts, a well-formed alibi can serve as critical evidence, as it relies on concrete proof—such as witnesses, video footage, or timestamps—to establish that the individual could not have committed the crime in question due to their whereabouts.

The other terms do not refer to this specific concept. An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, used as evidence in court but does not specifically pertain to a person's location at the time of a crime. An argument typically refers to a reasoned discourse aimed at persuading someone of a particular stance, rather than establishing an individual's innocence in a criminal matter. An assertion is a confident statement or declaration, but it doesn’t carry the legal weight or specific function of presenting an alibi in a criminal defense context.