Legal Definitions - natural presumption

Definition: A legal inference or assumption that a fact exists, based on the known or proven existence of some other fact or group of facts. It is a deduction of one fact from another, based on common experience.

Examples: A common example of a natural presumption is that a person who is found with a smoking gun in their hand is presumed to be the one who fired the gun. Another example is that a person who is found with stolen property in their possession is presumed to have stolen it.

Explanation: Natural presumptions are based on common sense and experience. They are not absolute and can be rebutted with evidence to the contrary. In the examples given, the presumption that the person with the smoking gun fired it can be rebutted if there is evidence that someone else fired the gun. Similarly, the presumption that a person with stolen property in their possession stole it can be rebutted if there is evidence that they obtained it legally.