--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Circumstantial evidence is not, as they…" description: "\"“Circumstantial evidence is not, as they [defense counsel] claim, like a chain. You could have a chain spanning the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/david-bagby-30443_atlantic-ocean_circumstantial-evidence-is-not-as-they-d_2121958.jpg" --- # Circumstantial evidence is not, as they \[defense counsel\]… ![“Circumstantial evidence is not, as they [defense counsel] claim, like a chain. You could have a chain spanning the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Bordeaux, France, consisting of millions of links, and with one weak link that chain is broken. Circumstantial evidence, to the contrary, is like a…” quote by David Bagby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/david-bagby-30443_atlantic-ocean_circumstantial-evidence-is-not-as-they-d_2121958.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/david-bagby-30443_atlantic-ocean_circumstantial-evidence-is-not-as-they-d_2121958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/david-bagby-30443_atlantic-ocean_circumstantial-evidence-is-not-as-they-d_2121958.jpg) > ““Circumstantial evidence is not, as they \[defense counsel\] claim, like a chain. You could have a chain spanning the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Bordeaux, France, consisting of millions of links, and with one weak link that chain is broken. Circumstantial evidence, to the contrary, is like a rope. And each fact is a strand of that rope. And as the prosecution piles one fact upon another we add strands and we add strength to that rope. If one strand breaks—and I’m not conceding for a moment that any strand has broken in this case—but if one strand does break, the rope is not broken. The strength of the rope is barely diminished. Why? Because there are so many other strands of almost steel-like strength that the rope is still more than strong enough to bind these two defendants to justice. That’s what circumstantial evidence is all about.5”” [David Bagby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bagby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Circumstantial evidence builds strength through many independent facts, like strands in a rope, making the case robust even if one fact fails. **In simple terms:** Many facts together make a strong case, even if one is weak. Key Takeaway Focus on gathering multiple supporting facts. Themes law evidence logic justice Mood analytical critical objective Type legal explanatory When to use this quote - criminal trial - defense strategy - prosecution case - jury deliberation Key Concepts probabilistic reasoning burden of proof corroboration Questions to Reflect On - How many independent facts are needed to convince a jury? - What happens if the strongest strand is discredited? A Different Perspective If a single fact is disproven, the overall case may still hold if other facts are strong. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atlantic ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlantic-ocean/) [Circumstantial evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circumstantial-evidence/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Evidence Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence-defense-4333525/) [Justice Circumstantial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-circumstantial-4333527/) [Nova scotia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nova-scotia/) [Rope Prosecution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rope-prosecution-4333526/) [Strong enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-enough/) ## Related quotes > [“You too can make the golden cut, relating the two poles of your being in perfect golden proportion, thus enabling the lower to resonate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-charlotte-primrose/you-too-can-make-the-golden-cut-relating-the-two-poles-of-your-being/) [Alison Charlotte Primrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-charlotte-primrose/) > [“It's circumstantial evidence, like finding a trout in the milk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-s-circumstantial-evidence-like-finding-a-trout-in-the-milk/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [David Irving has consistenly applied an evidential double standard, demanding absolute documentary proof to convict the Germans (as when he sought to show that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cannadine/david-irving-has-consistenly-applied-an-evidential-double-standard/) [David Cannadine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cannadine/) > [“Gross circumstances, subtle circumstances, circumstances of speech are of the non-Self and they make us dependent; In addition they are in the form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/gross-circumstances-subtle-circumstances-circumstances-of-speech-are/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [There exists a mountain of circumstantial evidence that consciousness survives bodily death. 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There are some people so indirect and lumbering that they think all real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/not-to-believe-in-love-is-a-great-sign-of-dullness-there-are-some/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [We are like a judge confronted by a defendant who declines to answer, and we must determine the truth from the circumstantial evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-wegener/we-are-like-a-judge-confronted-by-a-defendant-who-declines-to-answer/) [Alfred Wegener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-wegener/) > [Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing. It may seem to point very straight to one thing, but if you shift your own point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/circumstantial-evidence-is-a-very-tricky-thing-it-may-seem-to-point/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Circumstantial evidence may not be enough to convict. But it’s almost always enough to reveal the truth. Isn’t it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/circumstantial-evidence-may-not-be-enough-to-convict-but-it-s-almost/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“If one understands that worldly life is the result of scientific circumstantial evidence (vyavasthit); then that will reduce many of one’s miseries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-one-understands-that-worldly-life-is-the-result-of-scientific/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by David Bagby > [“Decent people strive to do good things and hate to see bad things happen anywhere around them. 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You could have a chain spanning the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Bordeaux, France, consisting of millions of links, and with one weak link that chain is broken. Circumstantial evidence, to the contrary, is like a rope. And each fact is a strand of that rope. And as the prosecution piles one fact upon another we add strands and we add strength to that rope. If one strand breaks—and I’m not conceding for a moment that any strand has broken in this case—but if one strand does break, the rope is not broken. The strength of the rope is barely diminished. Why? Because there are so many other strands of almost steel-like strength that the rope is still more than strong enough to bind these two defendants to justice. 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