circumstantial case
Grammatical role marker
A circumstantial case is a legal case built on indirect evidence rather than direct proof.
Instead of eyewitness testimony or a confession, the prosecution assembles facts that together suggest guilt: The murder weapon in his car, the victim's blood on his shirt, and his lies to police made for a strong circumstantial case.
Despite popular belief, circumstantial cases can be as compelling as direct evidence cases—sometimes more so, since indirect facts are harder to fabricate.
- fingerprintsRidge patterns identifying individuals
- burden of proofDuty to prove allegations
- beyond reasonable doubtStandard for criminal conviction
- forensic evidenceScientific material proving crimes
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
reasonable doubt · deduction · connecting the dots · motive · crime scene investigation · eyewitness testimony · prosecutor · alibi · probability · skepticism · verdict · opportunity · web of lies · syllogism · DNA analysis · paper trail · chain of evidence · epistemology
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