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Simple English definitions for legal terms
surmise
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A quick definition of surmise:
A surmise is an idea that someone has based on very little evidence. It's like guessing what might happen without really knowing for sure. In the past, surmise was also used to describe a suggestion made to a court or a statement in a complaint.
Libel is a type of surmise that is expressed in writing or other fixed forms, like pictures or electronic broadcasts. It's a statement that harms someone's reputation and is considered both a crime and a tort. Libel can be classified as false-implication, group, libel per quod, libel per se, obscene, seditious, or trade libel. To libel someone means to defame them in a permanent medium, like writing.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: An idea or conclusion based on weak evidence or conjecture. In historical contexts, it can also refer to a suggestion made to a court or an allegation in a complaint related to ecclesiastical law.
- After seeing the empty pizza box on the counter, I surmised that my roommate had ordered takeout last night.
- The detective surmised that the suspect had left the scene of the crime through the back door.
- In the historical context of ecclesiastical law, a collateral surmise is a surmise of a fact not contained in the libel.
The first two examples illustrate the everyday use of the term "surmise" to describe a conclusion drawn from limited evidence. The third example shows how the term was used in a specific historical context related to ecclesiastical law.