Legal Definitions - Veracity

Veracity refers to the quality of being truthful, accurate, and honest. In legal settings, it is often used to describe the credibility of a person's statements, the reliability of evidence, or the factual accuracy of information presented in court or legal documents.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of veracity:

• Imagine a criminal trial where a key witness testifies that they saw the defendant commit a crime. The defense attorney's cross-examination might focus on challenging the veracity of this witness's testimony. They might ask questions about the witness's eyesight, their position relative to the incident, any potential biases, or past instances of dishonesty, all in an effort to determine if the witness's account is truly accurate and honest.

  This example illustrates veracity as the truthfulness and reliability of a person's spoken account under oath.

• Consider a civil lawsuit where a company submits a series of emails as evidence to prove an agreement was made with another party. The opposing legal team might challenge the veracity of these emails, suggesting they could have been altered, taken out of context, or even fabricated. They might request forensic analysis of the digital files to verify their authenticity and ensure they accurately reflect the original communications.

  This example demonstrates veracity in relation to the authenticity and factual accuracy of documentary evidence.

• In a divorce proceeding, one spouse might submit a financial disclosure statement detailing all their assets, debts, and income. The other spouse's attorney would likely scrutinize this document to assess its veracity. They might compare it against bank statements, tax returns, and property records to ensure that all information provided is complete, accurate, and truthful, and that no assets have been hidden or undervalued.

  This example shows veracity as the completeness and factual correctness of written statements and disclosures made in legal filings.