Direct evidence
Inlaw,abody of factsthat directly supports the truth of an assertion without intervening inference. It is often exemplified byeyewitness testimony,[1][2]which consists of awitness's description of their reputed direct sensory experience of an alleged act without the presentation of additional facts.[3][1]By contrast,circumstantial evidencecan help prove via inference whether an assertion is true,[4]such asforensicspresented by anexpert witness.
In acriminal case,an eyewitness provides direct evidence of theactus reusif they testify that they witnessed the actual performance of the criminal event under question. Other testimony, such as the witness description of a chase leading up to an act of violence or a so-calledsmoking gunis considered circumstantial.[5]
See also
[edit]- Digital evidence– Evidential information stored or transmitted in digital form
- Evidence– Material supporting an assertion
- Hearsay– Usually inadmissible description of out-of-court statements
- In flagrante delicto– The catching of a criminal "red-handed"
References
[edit]- ^ab"direct evidence".Legal Information Institute.February 2022.Retrieved2 May2023– viaCornell Law School.
- ^Law, Jonathan; Martin, Elizabeth A. (2014) [2009]. "Direct evidence".A Dictionary of Law.Oxford University Press.
- ^State v. Famber,214 S.W.2d 40 (Mo. 1947).
- ^Lehman, Jeffrey; Phelps, Shirelle (2005).West's Encyclopedia of American Law, Vol. 2(2 ed.). Detroit: Thomson/Gale. p. 382.ISBN9780787663742.
- ^Walton, Douglas(2010).Legal Argumentation and Evidence.Penn State Press. p. 78.ISBN978-0271048338.
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