Legal Definitions - Ultimate fact

Ultimate fact

An ultimate fact is a fact that must be accepted for a claim or defense to be successful. It is usually inferred from a number of supporting evidentiary facts. For example, in a homicide case, a jury must accept the ultimate fact that X caused Y's death to convict X of the offense.

• In a car accident case, the ultimate fact may be whether the defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.
• In a breach of contract case, the ultimate fact may be whether the defendant failed to perform their obligations under the contract.

These examples illustrate how the ultimate fact is a crucial element in determining the outcome of a case. Without accepting the ultimate fact, the claim or defense cannot succeed.