circumstantial evidence

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circumstantial evidence

Evidence not bearing directly on the fact in dispute but instead on an attendant circumstance, such as the defendant's blood type or shoe size, from which the judge or jury might infer the occurrence of the fact in dispute.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

circumstantial evidence

indirect evidence that tends to establish a conclusion by inference. Compare direct evidence

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cir′cumstan′tial ev′idence

proof of facts offered as evidence from which other facts are to be inferred.

[1730–40]

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Noun

circumstantial evidence - evidence providing only a basis for inference about the fact in dispute

indirect evidence

evidence - (law) all the means by which any alleged matter of fact whose truth is investigated at judicial trial is established or disproved

law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

direct evidence - evidence (usually the testimony of a witness) directly related to the fact in dispute

Translations

prove indiziarie

circumstantial evidence

n → prova indiziaria

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in classic literature ?

They must be satisfied with the best circumstantial evidence. All quite true, I dare say.

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In his lay capacity, he persisted in sitting down in the damp to such an insane extent, that when his coat was taken off to be dried at the kitchen fire, the circumstantial evidence on his trousers would have hanged him if it had been a capital offence.

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"At any rate, there is enough circumstantial evidence against you in this book to warrant my taking the keenest interest in your future.

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And if the ear-rings being found in Nikolay's hands at the very day and hour of the murder constitutes an important piece of circumstantial evidence against him--although the explanation given by him accounts for it, and therefore it does not tell seriously against him--one must take into consideration the facts which prove him innocent, especially as they are facts that /cannot be denied/.

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The police examined the outhouse next, in search of circumstantial evidence against the missing man.

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Often, how louder and clearer than any tongue, does dumb circumstantial evidence speak.

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It was granted that this was plenty good enough circumstantial evidence. A pensive silence followed, which lasted some moments, then Wilson said:

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It is strong circumstantial evidence, I will admit, but it is not positive proof."

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To be the friend of Swiveller you must reject all circumstantial evidence, all reason, observation, and experience, and repose a blind belief in the bookcase.

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I had no fear, therefore, that any circumstantial evidence could be brought forward strong enough to convict her.

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Aunt Polly was vexed to think she had overlooked that bit of circumstantial evidence, and missed a trick.

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He did not know that in the face of the circumstantial evidence against him even his own people had commenced to entertain suspicions that he might have stolen the Ptarthian princess.