Legal Definitions - absque dubio

absque dubio is a Latin phrase meaning "without doubt" or "beyond question." In legal settings, it refers to a conclusion, finding, or fact that is so clear and certain that no reasonable person could dispute its truth.

Here are some examples to illustrate its application:

• Imagine a criminal trial where the prosecution presents irrefutable DNA evidence, multiple corroborating eyewitness accounts, and a video recording of the defendant committing the crime. After reviewing all the evidence, the jury might conclude that the defendant's guilt has been established absque dubio.

  This example demonstrates the term because the overwhelming and consistent nature of the evidence leaves no room for reasonable uncertainty regarding the defendant's culpability.

• Consider a written contract for the sale of a business that explicitly states, "The seller guarantees that all outstanding debts of the business will be fully settled by the closing date." This clause is so precise and unambiguous that its meaning is absque dubio.

  Here, the clear and direct language of the contract ensures there is no room for interpretation or dispute about the seller's obligation to clear all debts, making the commitment "without doubt."

• In a civil lawsuit concerning property boundaries, a land surveyor presents detailed maps, historical deeds, and GPS coordinates that all consistently show the exact location of a disputed fence line. The judge, relying on this precise and unchallenged evidence, might declare the true boundary to be absque dubio.

  This illustrates the term because the comprehensive and consistent evidence from the surveyor establishes the property boundary beyond any reasonable question, leaving no room for doubt.