Beweiswerts

Beweiswert is a German legal term describing the probative value or weight that a piece of evidence carries for proving a fact. It reflects how strongly the evidence can support a finding in court, as assessed in the Beweiswürdigung, the process of evaluating evidence. The Beweiswert is not a fixed quantity; it depends on factors such as reliability, relevance, and corroboration with other sources.

The term is used in the civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings of German-speaking countries, including Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland. Beweiswerts are attributed to various kinds of evidence, such as documents, witness testimony, expert opinions, or physical items, with the strength of the value varying accordingly. Factors influencing Beweiswert include authenticity, source credibility, consistency with other evidence, and the availability of independent corroboration.

Beweiswert is applied in the context of Beweiswürdigung, the judicial assessment of what is proven. Courts weigh the Beweiswerts of all relevant elements to determine whether a fact has been established to the degree required by law. This concept operates alongside the burden of proof (Beweislast) and the applicable standard of proof, which can differ by jurisdiction and case type (for example civil versus criminal proceedings). The Beweiswert of evidence helps translate factual assertions into legally actionable conclusions.

Examples: an officially authenticated document typically has a high Beweiswert; a single uncorroborated statement generally has a low Beweiswert unless supported by other evidence. See also Beweiswürdigung, Beweislast.