Circumstantial Evidence

Circumstantial evidence is a form of evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact. Unlike direct evidence, which directly proves a fact (e.g., a witness saw the defendant commit the crime), circumstantial evidence requires the trier of fact (judge or jury) to make a logical leap or deduction to infer a fact from a set of related circumstances. For example, finding a suspect's fingerprints at a crime scene is circumstantial evidence; it suggests the suspect was there, but doesn't directly prove they committed the crime, requiring an inference.