Legal Definitions - finder of fact

Definition: A finder of fact is a person or group of people who are responsible for hearing testimony and reviewing evidence to make a decision on a factual issue. This can include jurors in a trial or administrative-law judges in a hearing.

Examples:

• In a criminal trial, the jury serves as the finder of fact. They listen to witness testimony and review evidence presented by both the prosecution and defense before making a decision on whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.
• In an administrative hearing, an administrative-law judge serves as the finder of fact. They listen to testimony and review evidence before making a decision on the issue at hand.

These examples illustrate how finders of fact are responsible for making decisions based on the evidence presented to them. They must carefully consider all of the information before them before making a ruling on a factual issue.