“It’s a fact that ……..”
Weighing Evidence and Making Findings of Fact
Weighing Evidence and Making Findings of Fact is an advanced clinic for administrative decision-makers, investigators, staff, and advocates.
The clinic begins by reviewing the different types of evidence, and how to distinguish between evidence and argument. It focuses on techniques used to weigh the evidence and identify the findings of fact needed for each case. The clinic will provide you with a methodology you can use to evaluate expert opinion evidence. You will be challenged to consider how your background and experience may unconsciously affect your impression of a witness and the credibility of that witness’s testimony. The clinic will show you how to write about the evidence in your reasons. You will touch on all aspects of these issues through individual study, group exercises, lectures, and discussions.
Prerequisite: Completion of the Certificate in Tribunal Administrative JusticeTM (CTAJTM )
Credits: 14 credits toward the Advanced Certificate in Tribunal Administrative Justice
Clinic Dates
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- May 5, 6, & June 4, 2025 (8:30 am-12:00 pm MT)
Clinic purposes
Our goal is to provide you with the ability to:
- refresh your knowledge and skills to distinguish between evidence, argument, opinion, and factual evidence
- help you appreciate why decision-makers need to make findings of fact.
- use best practices to weigh the evidence.
- strengthen your skills when you write about evidence.
- make evaluating evidence part of your decision-making, writing, and advocacy.
Clinic learning outcomes
At the end of this clinic, you will be able to:
- list different types of evidence.
- distinguish between evidence and argument.
- identify fact vs opinion evidence.
- identify the required findings of fact for each case.
- systematically evaluate evidence having the tools to understand why certain evidence should be relied upon
- demonstrate through your written reasons or advocacy, the required findings of fact and the reasons why certain evidence is preferred.
Who should take this advanced clinic:
- decision-makers
- administrators of decision-makers
- advocates appearing before decision-makers
- staff in organizations that provide support to decision-makers