Any matter of fact that a party to a claim or action offers to provide to prove or disprove an issue in the case. The strongest type of evidence is that which provides direct proof of the truth of an assertion. At the other extreme is evidence that is merely consistent with an assertion but does not rule out other, contradictory assertions, and may be viewed as circumstantial evidence.

Penalties or other means of enforcement used to provide incentives for obedience with the law, or with rules or regulations. Criminal sanctions take the form of serious punishment, such as imprisonment or severe fines, whilst civil sanctions are usually monetary fines levied against a party to court proceedings or his/her legal representative for violating rules of procedure, or for abusing the judicial process.