Legal Definitions - fundamental error

Definition: Fundamental error is a mistake made in a court case that is so serious that it affects the outcome of the case. It is also known as plain error.

Examples:

• If a judge allows evidence to be presented in court that should not have been allowed, and that evidence leads to a guilty verdict, it could be considered a fundamental error.
• If a lawyer fails to object to a piece of evidence that is clearly inadmissible, and that evidence leads to a guilty verdict, it could be considered a fundamental error.

These examples illustrate how a mistake made during a court case can have a significant impact on the outcome of the case. In both cases, the mistake led to a guilty verdict, which could have been avoided if the mistake had not been made.