What is mere scintilla?
“Scintilla of evidence” is a metaphorical expression describing a very insignificant or trifling item of evidence.
What is a scintilla in legal terms?
A hint or a spark. In common law, if there is even a trace of evidence on an issue, then the issue must be decided on the merits, and a motion for summary judgment or a directed verdict cannot succeed. courts and procedure. criminal law and procedure.
What does scintilla of evidence mean?
Scintilla of evidence is a principle that is used in courts to measure the amount of evidence that must be present in order to support a conclusion. According to this principle, the slightest trace of evidence supporting a legal claim will cause the case to be submitted to the jury.
What does substantial evidence mean?
Substantial evidence means that degree of relevant evidence which a reasonable person, considering the record as a whole, might accept as adequate to support a conclusion, even though other reasonable persons might disagree. This is a lower standard of proof than preponderance of the evidence.
How much is a scintilla?
It might take more than a scintilla of English vocabulary knowledge to know that scintilla means a tiny bit of something. Scintilla is a long word for describing a tiny thing.
What is the clear and convincing evidence standard?
Definition. According to the Supreme Court in Colorado v. New Mexico, 467 U.S. 310 (1984), “clear and convincing” means that the evidence is highly and substantially more likely to be true than untrue; the fact finder must be convinced that the contention is highly probable.
What does a substantial amount mean?
Something substantial is large in size, number, or amount: If you want to say someone spent a lot of money without being too specific, you could say they spent a substantial amount of money.
Is scintilla a flower?
‘Scintilla’ produces only a medium number of fruit, but these are very large. The plant flowers earlier than Star and Windsor, and freeze protection may needed as early as January 20. The plant produces new vegetative growth early enough in the season to fully support berry development.
What is preponderance of probabilities?
In civil proceedings, a mere preponderance of probability is sufficient, and the defendant is not necessarily entitled to the benefit of every reasonable doubt; but in criminal proceedings, the persuasion of guilt must amount to such a moral certainty as convinces the mind of the court, as a reasonable man, beyond all …
What is the legal definition of a scintilla?
Scintilla. “Scintilla of evidence” is a metaphorical expression describing a very insignificant or trifling item of evidence. The common-law rule provides that if there is any evidence at all in a case, even a mere scintilla, that tends to support a material issue, the case cannot be taken from the jury but must be left to its decision.
How is the word Scintilla related to the word Sparkle?
The Latin scintilla is related to the verb “scintillare,” which means “to sparkle” and is responsible for our verb “scintillate” (“to sparkle or gleam,” literally or figuratively). In an odd twist, “scintilla” underwent a transposition of the “c” and the “t” (a linguistic phenomenon known as metathesis) to create…
What is the definition of Scintilla in Freebase?
Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Scintilla. Scintilla is a free library that provides text-editing functions, with an emphasis on advanced features for source code editing.
Can a scintilla be taken from a jury?
The common-law rule provides that if there is any evidence at all in a case, even a mere scintilla, that tends to support a material issue, the case cannot be taken from the jury but must be left to its decision. West’s Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. scintilla n. Latin for “spark.”