sakförhållanden

Sakförhållanden is a Swedish legal term that refers to the factual circumstances of a case. It denotes the concrete events, actions, times, places, persons, objects and other conditions that are relevant to determining how the law should be applied. In practice, sakförhållanden constitute the factual basis on which legal reasoning rests and on which liability or guilt is assessed.

These factual elements are established through evidence gathered in the case. Evidence can include witness statements, documents, photographs, expert opinions, electronic records and other material presented in court or during negotiations. The parties to a case may present competing versions of sakförhållanden, and the court or other decision-maker weighs credibility and relevance to determine what actually occurred.

The handling of sakförhållanden is distinct from the legal rules that apply to the case. Once the court has determined the sakförhållanden, it then applies applicable statutes, doctrines and standards to assess liability, culpa, intent, causation or other legal criteria. The burden of proof lies with the party bringing the claim (for example, the prosecutor in criminal cases or the plaintiff in civil cases), and the required standard of proof varies by context (e.g., beyond reasonable doubt in criminal matters, or a balance of probabilities in civil matters).

Common examples include criminal cases, where sakförhållanden cover what happened, when and by whom, and civil cases, where they cover the sequence of events, contract terms and communications. Sakförhållanden are typically documented in court decisions as the factual basis for the legal reasoning and verdict.