A trial ascertains facts, applies law, and determines guilt or liability.

Evidence

A trial is a proceeding for resolving a dispute on the basis of law. More precisely, a trial serves to ascertain the facts about a situation, apply the law to that set of facts, and thereby determine whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty (in a criminal case) or liable or not liable (in a civil case). A trial may seek to resolve disputes about the facts in a case, the applicable law and how it applies, or questions of both fact and law. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 796

Categorization

• DEFINE: Core definition of the trial’s function that structures the course’s treatment of adjudication.
• XREF: connects to: Trials resolve disputes over facts, over law, or over both — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1275; Some trials dispute legal application while facts go uncontested. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 798; Trials resolve factual disputes even when both parties agree on the law. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1276 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Trials resolve disputes over facts, over law, or over both #qualifies (0.88) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1275
• Some trials dispute legal application while facts go uncontested. #exemplifies (0.85) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 798
• Trials resolve factual disputes even when both parties agree on the law. #exemplifies (0.85) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1276
• Some trials turn entirely on disputed facts rather than law. #exemplifies (0.85) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 797
• Many cases intertwine factual findings with contested legal definitions like self-defense. #complicates (0.78) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1278