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fact definition - legal

n

Something that exists or has happened; an irreducible element of real existence or occurrence.
collateral fact
A fact that is not central to the main issue or controversy.
evidentiary fact
A fact that tends to prove, or is a necessary prerequisite for the proof of, another fact.
jurisdictional fact. 
Such a fact as must exist before a court will exercise jurisdiction over a matter; for example, in a diversity case in federal court, that the parties are citizens of different states and that the amount in controversy is above a threshold level.
probative fact
See evidentiary fact.
ultimate fact
An essential fact, arrived at by inference from the evidence and testimony, that causes the final determination or conclusion of law.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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