Also known as: verities · truth
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
The quality of being true or in accordance with fact. A statement possesses verity when it conforms to reality rather than reflecting error or fabrication.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Viktor Voronin offers a police report describing a car accident to prove the other driver ran the red light. The court excludes the report because Viktor offers it to establish the truth of the facts asserted rather than for a non-truth purpose.
Vaughn Valentine tells a buyer the roof is new when he knows it leaks. The buyer later discovers the falsehood and rescinds the contract because the seller lacked confidence in the truth of the assertion at the time of sale.
Vincent Vale falsely assures a neighbor the bridge is safe. The neighbor crosses in reliance and falls through. Vale faces liability for the resulting injuries because the neighbor acted on the truth of the representation.
Viola Volkov publicly claims a judicial candidate accepted bribes without any basis. The disciplinary board sanctions her because she made the statement knowing it lacked verity or with reckless disregard for its truth.
Valentina Vasquez's expert cites a lab report to explain her opinion on DNA. The court admits the testimony because the report is not offered to prove the truth of its contents but only to show the basis of the expert's analysis.
Virgil Vaughn offers court-ordered genetic testing results to prove parentage. The court admits the report because the statute requires acceptance of the results as evidence of the truth of the facts asserted.
Verity requires actual conformity to fact. A speaker may sincerely believe a statement yet lack verity if the assertion does not match reality.
A statement becomes hearsay when offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted and the declarant is not testifying at the current trial or hearing.
Yes. A lawyer violates the rule by making a statement about a judge or candidate with knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for its truth.
…the President appointed him a justice of the peace; and the seal affixed by the Secretary is conclusive testimony of the verity of the signature and of completion of the appointment and that the appointment conferred a legal right to the office for five years; (2) having this legal title he has a consequent right to…