Prima Facie Script

A prima facie case is not a "win." It is merely a ticket to continue the trial. If a judge says you have made a prima facie case, they are saying, "You have enough to survive a motion to dismiss." They are not saying you will win.

First, regarding : We will introduce City Ordinance 402, showing the defendant had a legal obligation to clear ice from their storefront. prima facie script

"The State’s prima facie script for theft requires proof that the defendant knowingly took property belonging to another, without consent, with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of that property. The preliminary hearing will establish these four facts." A prima facie case is not a "win

However, the very speed that makes the prima facie script useful also makes it dangerous. The script is built on assumptions, cultural biases, and incomplete data. In a famous study, psychologists showed participants a video of a car accident and asked how fast the cars were going when they "smashed" versus "contacted" each other. The single word in the question altered the remembered speed—and even whether participants recalled seeing broken glass. The prima facie script had been rewritten after the fact, but participants believed it was the original truth. "The State’s prima facie script for theft requires