Legal Definitions - evidentiary fact

An evidentiary fact is a specific piece of information or a detail that, when presented in a legal proceeding, helps to prove or disprove another, more central fact. It acts as a building block, making a particular claim or "ultimate fact" more or less probable. Essentially, evidentiary facts are the smaller, supporting details that collectively lead to a conclusion about the main issue in a case.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a criminal trial where the prosecution aims to prove the ultimate fact that Ms. Chen committed arson. An evidentiary fact could be a receipt found in Ms. Chen's trash for a large quantity of accelerant purchased the day before the fire. This receipt doesn't directly prove she started the fire, but it makes it significantly more probable that she had the means to do so, thus supporting the ultimate fact of her involvement.

• Consider a civil lawsuit where a company, "Tech Solutions," is suing a former employee, Mr. Lee, for violating a non-compete agreement. The ultimate fact Tech Solutions wants to establish is that Mr. Lee began working for a direct competitor within the prohibited timeframe. An evidentiary fact could be an email from Mr. Lee's new company, dated two weeks after his departure from Tech Solutions, listing him as a senior project manager. This email doesn't explicitly state he was performing competitive work, but it strongly suggests he was employed by a competitor much sooner than allowed, making the ultimate fact of his violation more probable.