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Law vocabulary · Evidence & Proof

Evidence

Meaning in law, with examples

/ˈevɪdəns/nounCore term

In law, evidence means: Documents, objects, statements and other information that a court uses to decide which facts are true.

In Turkish: delil, kanıt, ispat aracı

How it is used

Lawyers 'gather', 'submit', 'produce' and 'challenge' evidence. Common types are documentary evidence, witness evidence and expert evidence. Witnesses 'give evidence' in court.

Example sentences

  1. There is no evidence that the director knew about the missing payments.

  2. We need to submit all documentary evidence by the end of the month.

  3. The key piece of evidence was a single email sent at midnight.

Common collocations

  • submit evidence
  • give evidence
  • piece of evidence
  • documentary evidence
  • expert evidence
  • witnessA person who tells a court what they saw, heard or know about a case; also someone who watches a document being signed and then signs it too.
  • testimonyA formal statement that a witness makes in court or in writing, usually under oath, about facts they know.
  • admissibleAllowed to be used in court as evidence, or accepted for examination by a court, because it meets the legal rules.
  • burden of proofThe duty of one side in a case to prove that the facts it relies on are true; if it cannot do so, it loses on that point.
  • affidavitA written statement of facts that a person signs and swears or affirms is true, usually in front of an authorised official, so that it can be used as evidence.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Evidence & Proof

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.