Legal Definitions - legal fact

A legal fact is a piece of information or an event that is relevant to a legal dispute or proceeding and can influence its outcome. These facts are presented as evidence in court or during negotiations to establish what happened, who was involved, and what legal principles should apply. They are crucial because legal decisions, such as guilt or innocence, liability, or the terms of a settlement, are based on the facts proven to be true.

• Example 1 (Criminal Case - Theft):

  In a shoplifting case, a store's security camera footage shows an individual placing an item into their bag and leaving without paying. A store employee testifies that they saw the individual exit the store and that the item was later found to be missing from inventory.

  Explanation: The security camera footage showing the act, the employee's eyewitness testimony, and the inventory discrepancy are all legal facts. These specific pieces of information are directly relevant to proving the elements of theft, such as the taking of property and the intent to deprive the owner, which the court will consider when determining guilt or innocence.

• Example 2 (Civil Case - Personal Injury):

  Following a slip-and-fall accident in a grocery store, the injured customer presents medical records detailing a broken arm, a photograph of a spilled liquid on the floor where they fell, and a witness statement from another shopper who saw the spill unattended for at least 15 minutes before the accident.

  Explanation: The customer's medical records confirming the injury, the photograph of the spill, and the witness statement about the spill's duration are all legal facts. These facts are essential for the court to determine if the store was negligent (e.g., by failing to clean up a hazard in a timely manner) and if that negligence directly caused the customer's injuries, thereby establishing liability for damages.

• Example 3 (Family Law - Divorce and Asset Division):

  During a divorce proceeding, one spouse provides bank statements showing that a significant sum of money was transferred from a joint account to a newly opened individual account just weeks before the divorce petition was filed. They also present emails where the other spouse discussed plans to hide assets.

  Explanation: The bank statements detailing the transfer of funds and the emails discussing asset concealment are legal facts. These facts are highly relevant to the court's task of equitably dividing marital assets, as they may indicate an attempt to hide or dissipate marital property, which could influence the final division of assets between the spouses.