Legal Definitions - prima facie case

A prima facie case (pronounced pry-mah fay-shee) refers to a situation where a party has presented enough initial evidence to establish a claim or defense, which, if left unchallenged, would be sufficient to win. It means that "on the face of it," there appears to be a valid claim, and the burden then shifts to the opposing party to present evidence to refute or explain away the initial claim. It's the minimum level of proof required to move a case forward and demand a response from the other side.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Employment Discrimination: Imagine an employee files a lawsuit claiming age discrimination after being fired. To establish a prima facie case, the employee might present evidence showing they are over 40 (a protected age group), were qualified for their job, were terminated, and a younger, less experienced person was hired to replace them. This initial set of facts, without further explanation, suggests discrimination. It doesn't definitively prove discrimination occurred, but it's enough to require the employer to come forward and provide a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for the termination.

• Breach of Contract: Consider a small business owner who sues a supplier for failing to deliver custom-made parts as agreed. To establish a prima facie case for breach of contract, the owner would present a signed contract detailing the specific parts, price, and delivery date, along with bank statements showing they paid for the parts, and emails confirming the parts were never delivered. This evidence, on its face, demonstrates a valid contract, the owner's performance (payment), the supplier's non-performance (no delivery), and resulting damages. The burden then shifts to the supplier to explain why they didn't deliver or why they should not be held responsible.

• Negligence in a Car Accident: Suppose a driver sues another driver for injuries sustained in a car accident. To establish a prima facie case of negligence, the injured driver might present a police report indicating the other driver ran a red light, witness statements confirming this, and medical records detailing their injuries and the costs of treatment. This initial evidence suggests the other driver owed a duty of care (to obey traffic laws), breached that duty (ran the red light), directly caused the accident, and the injured driver suffered damages as a result. This is enough to require the other driver to present their own evidence or arguments to dispute liability or the extent of damages.