Trier of fact facts for kids

The trier of fact, also known as the finder of fact, is a very important role in a court case. This person or group is responsible for figuring out what the true facts are in a legal situation. Think of them as detectives who listen to all the evidence and decide what really happened. Once they decide the facts, then the legal rules can be applied to those facts.

Who Decides What's True in Court?

In any legal case, there are often different stories about what happened. It's the job of the fact-finder to listen to all the information. They look at evidence and decide which parts are true. This decision is called a "finding of fact." It's a crucial step before any final decision is made in court.

What is a Fact-Finder?

A fact-finder is the person or group who listens to all the evidence presented in a court case. Their main job is to decide what the real facts are. They don't decide what the law means. Instead, they focus on the events and details of the case. For example, they might decide if a certain event happened at a specific time.

Who Can Be a Fact-Finder?

The fact-finder depends on the type of court case.

• Jury: In many important cases, a group of ordinary citizens called a jury acts as the fact-finder. They listen to everything and then decide together what the facts are.
• Judge: If there is no jury, the judge takes on the role of the fact-finder. The judge listens to the evidence and decides the facts. Then, the judge also applies the law to those facts.
• Other Officials: Sometimes, in special hearings, the fact-finder might be an administrative law judge. It could also be a board, a commission, or a referee. These are people who are experts in certain areas of law.

How Facts Lead to Decisions

Once the fact-finder decides what the truth is, the next step is to apply the law. The judge tells the jury or the other fact-finder about the legal rules for the case. These instructions explain how the law fits the facts they have found. For example, the fact-finder might decide that a certain person was responsible for an event. Then, the judge applies the law to that finding to reach a final decision.

Images for kids

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  A scale showing balance, similar to how facts are weighed in court.