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Simple English definitions for legal terms
conclusion of fact
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A quick definition of conclusion of fact:
Conclusion of fact means the decision made by the person who decides the facts in a case. When people disagree about what happened, the person who decides the case has to listen to the evidence and decide what really happened. This decision is called a conclusion of fact. It can be made by a group of people called a jury or by a judge. The conclusion of fact is very important because it decides who wins the case. If there is a disagreement about what happened, the judge cannot make a quick decision until the disagreement is solved. When someone disagrees with the conclusion of fact, they can ask a higher court to look at it, but the higher court will only change it if the person who decided the case made a big mistake. This is different from a conclusion of law, which is looked at more carefully by a higher court.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A conclusion of fact, also known as a finding of fact, is a decision made by the trier of fact on questions of fact in a case. This decision is made after parties present evidence, and the trier of fact must decide what the facts actually are. Conclusions of fact may be made by a jury or judges depending on agreement by the parties. These conclusions often dictate the outcome of a trial.
For example, in a criminal trial, the prosecution may present evidence that the defendant committed the crime. The defense may present evidence that the defendant did not commit the crime. The jury must then decide what the facts are and whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty. This decision is a conclusion of fact.
Conclusions of fact receive deferential treatment on appeal, meaning that an appellate court will only overturn a conclusion of fact if the trier of fact obviously made an error. This is to be contrasted with a conclusion of law which will receive higher scrutiny.
It is important to note that if there is a question of fact, a judge cannot enter a summary judgement until the factual dispute is resolved.