Legal Definitions - find

In legal contexts, to find means to officially establish or conclude a fact or outcome after considering evidence in a legal proceeding.

This term is used when a judge, jury, or other legal authority makes a determination about a disputed matter based on the information presented to them.

• Example 1: In a civil lawsuit concerning a car accident, the jury might find that the defendant was 70% responsible for the collision, while the plaintiff was 30% responsible.

  Explanation: Here, the jury, after hearing all the evidence and testimony, officially determined the degree of fault for each party involved in the accident, which was a central disputed fact in the case.

• Example 2: After reviewing expert testimony and scientific reports in an environmental protection case, a judge might find that a particular factory's emissions exceeded legal limits for a specific period.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the judge, acting as the fact-finder, concluded that a specific factual claim (exceeding emission limits) was true based on the evidence presented during the trial.

• Example 3: During a hearing to determine if a tenant violated their lease agreement, an administrative law judge might find that the tenant did not adequately maintain the property as required by the contract.

  Explanation: This illustrates an administrative body making a formal determination about a disputed fact (whether the tenant fulfilled their maintenance obligations) based on the information gathered during the hearing.