Most legal proceedings require a prima facie case to exist, following which proceedings may then commence to test it, and create a ruling.
prima facie is a meaning "on its first appearance", or "by first instance". It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a matter appears to be self-evident from the facts. In Common law jurisdictions, denotes evidence that (unless rebutted) would be sufficient to prove a particular proposition or fact.
