What is an essential characteristic of circumstantial evidence?

Circumstantial evidence is characterized by its ability to support an inference or conclusion rather than directly proving an assertion. This type of evidence relies on the relationship between various facts and the inferences that can be drawn from them. For instance, if someone is seen running away from a crime scene with a weapon in their hand, this could be circumstantial evidence that they might be involved in that crime, even though it does not provide definitive proof of guilt.

In legal contexts, circumstantial evidence can be compelling when taken as a whole, as it builds a narrative or context surrounding an assertion, helping to establish a reasonable conclusion about what occurred. This indirect approach often requires the audience (like a jury) to make logical deductions based on the evidence presented. By noting that it does not provide definitive proof but is consistent with an assertion, it emphasizes the nature of circumstantial evidence to suggest possibilities rather than certainties, which is central to its role in legal proceedings.