Legal Definitions - common knowledge

Common knowledge refers to a fact that is so widely recognized and accepted as true within a community or society that a court does not require formal evidence or proof to establish its veracity. Instead, the court can simply acknowledge the fact as true, thereby saving time and resources that would otherwise be spent on presenting evidence for something obvious. This legal principle is often applied through a process known as judicial notice.

Here are some examples illustrating common knowledge:

• Geographical Location: The fact that the city of Paris is located in France. If a legal case involved a contract signed in Paris, France, a court would not require a party to present a map, a geography expert, or a travel guide to prove that Paris is indeed in France. This is considered a universally accepted geographical fact.

• Basic Scientific Principles: The understanding that water freezes when its temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). In a case where a burst pipe caused property damage, a court would likely accept this principle as common knowledge without needing a meteorologist or physicist to testify about the freezing point of water, especially if the temperature was clearly below freezing.

• Historical Events: The date of a major historical event, such as the attack on Pearl Harbor occurring on December 7, 1941. If a legal document referenced this date, a court would not typically demand historical records or expert testimony to confirm the date, as it is a widely known and accepted historical fact.