Legal Definitions - conclusionary

The term "conclusionary" describes a statement or argument that presents a conclusion without offering the necessary facts, evidence, or logical reasoning to support it. Such statements assert an outcome or judgment without explaining the underlying basis, making it difficult for others to understand or evaluate their validity. In legal proceedings, conclusionary statements are often considered insufficient because they lack the factual foundation required for a claim or argument to be properly understood and proven.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: A Legal Complaint

  Imagine a plaintiff files a lawsuit stating, "The defendant acted negligently and caused me significant harm." This statement, by itself, is conclusionary. It asserts that the defendant was negligent and caused harm, but it doesn't provide any specific details about *what* the defendant did, *when* it happened, or *how* those actions constitute negligence or led to harm. A proper legal complaint would need to detail the specific actions (e.g., "The defendant drove through a red light on Main Street on October 26, 2023, striking my vehicle") and explain how those actions meet the legal definition of negligence.

• Example 2: Expert Witness Testimony

  Consider an expert witness testifying in court who states, "In my professional opinion, the financial records clearly show evidence of fraud." This is a conclusionary statement if the expert stops there. While it presents a professional opinion, it doesn't explain *which* records, *what* specific entries, or *how* those entries indicate fraud. For the testimony to be admissible and persuasive, the expert would need to elaborate on the specific discrepancies, accounting principles violated, and the methodology used to reach that conclusion.

• Example 3: A Business Dispute Letter

  Suppose one company sends a letter to another stating, "Your company has consistently failed to uphold its end of our partnership agreement." This is a conclusionary assertion. It states that the agreement was not upheld but fails to specify *which* clauses were violated, *when* these failures occurred, or *what* specific actions (or inactions) constitute the breach. To be effective and provide a basis for resolution, the letter would need to detail specific instances, dates, and the relevant sections of the agreement that were allegedly violated.