In the law of evidence, a truth or proposition drawn from another that is supposed or admitted to be true. A process of reasoning by which a fact or proposition sought to be established is deduced as a logical consequence from other facts, or a state of facts, already proved or admitted. A logical and reasonable conclusion of a fact not presented by direct evidence but which, by process of logic and reason, a trier of fact may conclude exists from the established facts. Inferences are deductions or conclusions that with reason and common sense lead the jury to draw from facts which have been established by the evidence in the case.
n. a rule of logic applied to evidence in a trial, in which a fact is "proved" by presenting other "facts" which lead to only one reasonable conclusion--that if A and B are true, then C is. The process is called "deduction" or "deductive reasoning," and is a persuasive form of circumstantial evidence. (See: circumstantial evidence)
INFERENCE. A conclusion drawn by reason from premises established by proof.
2. It is the province of the judge who is to decide upon the facts to
draw the inference. When the facts are submitted to the court, the judges
draw the inference; when they are to be ascertained by a jury, it is their
duty to do so. The witness is not permitted as a general rule to draw an
inference, and testify that to the court or jury. It is his duty to state
the facts simply as they occurred. Inferences differ from presumptions.
(q.v.)