Legal Definitions - in fact

IN FACT

Something that is actual or real, resulting from the actions of people rather than by the rules of the law. This is different from "in law."

• John said he was sick, but in fact, he was just skipping school.
• The company claimed they had no money to pay their employees, but in fact, they had just spent it all on a fancy office renovation.

These examples show situations where the truth is different from what was originally stated. In both cases, the reality of the situation was revealed through the actions of the people involved, rather than through any legal process.