prima facie case

American  

noun

Law.

1. a case in which the evidence produced is sufficient to enable a decision or verdict to be made unless the evidence is rebutted.

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Etymology

Origin of prima facie case

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

"We worked together to make sure we had a watertight prima facie case in order to lawfully arrest Aimee Betro in a foreign country without her becoming aware and potentially fleeing again," he explained.

From BBC

District Judge Goldspring, chief magistrate of England and Wales, found there was a "prima facie case" - enough evidence to support a charge at first glance - against Chappell and that extradition would be "compatible" with his and Wright's human rights.

From BBC

Scott is the first example of a state appellate court holding that evidence of implicit racial bias in policing establishes a prima facie case of racial discrimination justifying the exclusion of evidence.

From Slate

That has not stopped critics questioning why charges were dropped after four years in court and after a judge had already ruled that prosecutors had established a prima facie case.

From Reuters

But under the law, to pierce the attorney-client privilege, the government must prove a prima facie case and prove that communications were made to further a fraud or crime.

From Salon