Legal Definitions - remote

In legal terms, remote describes something that is too distant, indirect, or insignificant to have a direct bearing or legal consequence on a particular matter. It implies a lack of immediate connection, relevance, or a causal link that is too far removed from the ultimate outcome.

• Remote Evidence: Evidence is considered remote when it is too far removed in time, context, or relevance from the central issues of a legal case. Such evidence is often deemed inadmissible because it would not help the court or jury make a decision about the facts in dispute.

  • Example: During a trial for a breach of contract, the defense attempts to introduce evidence that the plaintiff once failed a high school math test twenty years ago. The judge would likely rule this evidence as remote. It has no direct connection to whether the plaintiff fulfilled their obligations under the current contract, making it irrelevant to the legal dispute at hand.

• Remote Cause: An event or action is a remote cause if it initiated a chain of events that eventually led to an injury or harm, but it is so far removed from the final outcome that it is not considered a legally responsible cause. Courts typically look for a "proximate cause," which is a more direct and foreseeable cause of the harm.

  • Example: A city council votes to approve a new zoning ordinance. Months later, a construction company begins building a new office complex under this ordinance. During construction, a crane malfunctions, causing an injury to a worker. While the city council's initial vote allowed the construction to proceed, their decision is a remote cause of the worker's injury. The direct, or proximate, cause would be factors related to the crane's maintenance, operation, or the construction company's safety protocols, not the zoning approval itself.

• Remote Interest (in Property Law): This refers to a future interest in property that is so uncertain or far off in time that it might not vest (become certain or take effect) within a legally permissible period. Legal rules, such as the Rule Against Perpetuities, aim to prevent property from being tied up indefinitely by such distant conditions.

  • Example: A will states that a family farm will be inherited by "the first grandchild of my youngest great-niece who graduates from medical school and practices for at least ten years." This creates a remote interest. The condition for inheriting the farm is highly uncertain and could potentially take many generations to fulfill, making it difficult to determine the farm's ownership for an extended, indefinite period.