Legal Definitions - statement of facts

A statement of facts is a crucial section within a legal document, such as a brief submitted to a court or tribunal. It is a party's written presentation of the events, circumstances, and background information that are relevant to a legal dispute.

The primary purpose of the statement of facts is to inform the decision-maker (like a judge or jury) about what happened, setting the stage for the legal arguments that follow. While it must present the facts accurately and avoid overt argumentation, it is carefully crafted to highlight details and present the narrative in a way that subtly supports the presenting party's legal position.

Sometimes, parties involved in a legal matter may agree on a common set of facts. This is known as an agreed statement of facts. In such cases, both sides stipulate that the narrative of events is correct, which can streamline the legal process by removing factual disputes and allowing the court to focus solely on the legal questions.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of a statement of facts:

• Civil Lawsuit for Personal Injury: Imagine a pedestrian who was hit by a car while crossing the street. In their lawsuit against the driver, the pedestrian's attorney would include a statement of facts in their legal brief. This section would detail the time and location of the incident, the weather conditions, how the pedestrian was crossing, the driver's actions leading up to the collision, the nature of the pedestrian's injuries, and the immediate aftermath. While presenting these events factually, the attorney would subtly emphasize details that suggest the driver's negligence and the severity of the pedestrian's suffering.

  This illustrates how the pedestrian's legal team uses the statement of facts to lay out their version of events, providing the court with the factual foundation necessary to understand their claim for damages.

• Appeal of a Business Contract Dispute: A small business appeals a lower court's ruling that it breached a contract with a larger corporation. In its appellate brief, the small business's legal team would draft a statement of facts. This section would recount the history of negotiations, the specific clauses of the contract, the actions taken by both parties, and the circumstances that led to the alleged breach. The narrative would be presented to highlight any ambiguities in the contract or actions by the corporation that might mitigate the small business's responsibility, all while maintaining a factual tone.

  This demonstrates how the statement of facts provides the appellate court with a concise, yet strategically framed, summary of the case's factual history, allowing the court to evaluate the legal arguments made on appeal.

• Administrative Hearing for a Professional License: A doctor faces a hearing before a medical licensing board due to a complaint about their professional conduct. The doctor's attorney would submit a document containing a statement of facts. This statement would outline the doctor's professional background, the specific incident leading to the complaint, the doctor's actions and rationale during that incident, and any mitigating circumstances or subsequent corrective measures taken. The facts would be presented to show the doctor's commitment to patient care and adherence to ethical standards, even if an error occurred.

  This example shows how a statement of facts is used in an administrative context to present a factual account to a regulatory body, influencing their understanding of the situation before they apply professional standards and regulations.