Simple English definitions for legal terms
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The term "smoking gun" refers to a piece of evidence that proves something is true. It comes from the idea that if a gun is smoking, it was recently fired. In law, it is often used to describe evidence that leads to a person's conviction.
The phrase smoking gun is often used to describe a piece of evidence that proves a theory or point. In legal contexts, it refers to a piece of circumstantial evidence that can lead to a person's conviction.
The term comes from the idea that a gun that has recently been fired will emit smoke. Therefore, if someone's gun is smoking, it is strong evidence that they have recently fired it.
Here are some examples of how the term smoking gun might be used:
These examples illustrate how a smoking gun can be a crucial piece of evidence in a legal case. In each case, the evidence is circumstantial, but it is strong enough to support the theory or point being made.