Contract evidence, in plain terms
Short notes on whether a contract says what would actually prove it — independent proof, a clear standard, full coverage, and the right period.
Plain-language notes on contract evidence: what it means for a contractual promise to be provable, how to tell whether a contract requirement has been satisfied, and where evidentiary gaps hide in everyday contracts. Each note is short, and each ends with a way to check a real clause.
The six checks Warrant Check runs on every promise
- Independent Verification — could the evidence be produced to, and checked by, an independent third party (an accredited certificate, a result from an independent method, a measurement), rather than one party's own assertion?
- Suitable Method — does the method reliably establish what is claimed, at the strength or magnitude claimed, rather than a weaker proxy standing in for proof?
- Defined Benchmark — is there a specific threshold, technical specification, or named standard the result is measured against, rather than a vague term like "good quality"?
- Conclusive Link — does meeting that benchmark actually establish the promise itself, rather than something merely adjacent to it?
- Comprehensive Coverage — does the evidence cover the full scope of the claim (the whole lot, area or population), whether directly or through a properly representative sample?
- Relevant Timeline — does the evidence cover the period the commitment runs for: the full term of a continuing obligation, or the relevant moment for a one-off one?