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

See Examples For:

prima facie case

"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 ● Aug. 15, 2025

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 ● Sep. 16, 2023

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 ● Mar. 28, 2023

That makes the prima facie case of his state of mind.

From Slate ● Jun. 13, 2022

But at any rate, this is a very good prima facie case for continuing the order, and I shall report accordingly.

From Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 2 by Thomas Henry Huxley