Indirect evidence that implies something occurred but doesn't directly prove it. If a man accused of embezzling money from his company had made several big-ticket purchases in cash around the time of the alleged embezzlement, that would be circumstantial evidence that he had stolen the money.
This is trial evidence that is not directly from an eyewitness or participant in the events. In other words, the facts can only be proven using some reasoning.
Evidence which may allow a judge or jury to deduce a certain fact from other facts which have been proven. In some cases, there may be evidence essential to prove a case that cannot be proven directly, such as with an eye-witness. In these cases, the lawyer will provide the judge or juror with evidence of the circumstances from which a juror or judge can logically deduct, or reasonably infer, the fact that cannot be proven directly; it is proven by the evidence of the circumstances; hence, "circumstantial" evidence. Fingerprints are an example of circumstantial evidence: while there may be no witness to a person's presence in a certain place, or contact with a certain object, the scientific evidence of someone's fingerprints is persuasive proof of a person's presence or contact with an object.
Evidence that requires interpretation, or that requires a judge or jury to reach a conclusion based upon what the evidence indicates. From the close proximity of a smoking gun to the defendant, for example, the jury might conclude that he or she pulled the trigger.
Statements or information obtained indirectly or not based on first-hand experience by a person. Circumstantial evidence can include, in part, inferences about an event that was not seen. For example, if you walk outside and the ground is wet, and you didn't actually see it raining, you could infer that it had rained while you were inside. See also Direct evidence.
Evidence which is based on inference rather than personal knowledge or observation.
indirect evidence of a fact; evidence that indirectly suggests proof of a fact
Evidence that is not direct, but rather requires an inference.
evidence that proves a fact, though not directly at issue, is sufficient that it may infer, from the circumstances, the existance of a fact that is at issue.
evidence providing only a basis for inference about the fact in dispute
Evidence from which a fact is reasonably inferred, although not directly proven. Evidence that tends to prove a fact by proving other events which afford a basis for reasonable inference of the occurrence of the fact at issue.
Legal term for Indirect evidence; secondary facts from which a principal fact may be reasonably inferred.
Facts or testimony not based on actual personal knowledge or observation, by which other non-substantiated facts can be reasonably inferred.
Information from which a jury must infer a fact; tends to imply guilt, but does not prove that the defendant is connected to the crime.
Evidence of an indirect nature by which a court or jury may reason from proved circumstances to establish by inference a principal fact.
All evidence of indirect nature; the process of decision by which a court or jury may reason from circumstances known or proved to establish by inference the principal fact.
Testimony or information not based on actual personal knowledge or observation, but dependant on inference of other facts or experience. For example, testimony that defendant's cigarette lighter was found in ashes of a fire.
Evidence not based on actual personal knowledge or observation of the fact in dispute, but, rather, evidence of other personal knowledge or observation which allows a jury to infer the existence or nonexistence of the fact in dispute. An example of direct evidence of who was at fault for an act of abuse would be a witness who actually saw the abuse. An example of circumstantial evidence in this case would be a witness who was entering a resident's room and saw another person walking out of the room with blood on their hands. When the witness entered the resident's room, the witness saw that the resident had a bloodied nose.
Evidence not based on actual personal knowledge or observation of the fact in dispute, but, rather, evidence of other personal knowledge or observation which allows a jury to infer the existence or nonexistence of the fact in dispute. An example of direct evidence of who was at fault for a car accident would be a witness who actually saw the accident. An example of circumstantial evidence in this case, would be a witness who drove by after the impact and saw the defendant's car in the wrong lane.
evidence which suggests a fact but does not prove the fact is true.
All evidence except eyewitness testimony.
Evidence which suggests something by implication, from which an inference can be drawn, e.g., physical evidence, such as fingerprints. Also called indirect evidence. Compare direct evidence.
Evidence based on inference and not on personal knowledge or observation that does not directly prove a fact but gives rise to a presumption that a fact does exist.
Details or facts which indirectly point to other facts.
Evidence of some circumstance(s) which provide indirect evidence of some fact where direct evidence is absent.
Facts from which presumptions or inferences are made. Indirect evidence. (For example, seeing a person flee from the scene of a crime is circumstantial, indirect evidence that the person committed the crime; seeing a person commit a crime is direct evidence.)
Evidence that is not directly observed but that may establish, by inference, a link between the offender, the victim, and the accused.
Evidence that proves a fact by means of an inference. For example, from the evidence that a person was seen running away from the scene of a crime, a judge or jury may infer that the person committed the crime.
Circumstantial evidence is unrelated facts that, when considered together, can be used to infer a conclusion about something unknown. Circumstantial evidence is usually a theory, supported by a significant quantity of corroborating evidence.
