Conflict Between Judicial Presumptions and Witness Testimony
Keywords:
Judicial evidence, witness testimony, conflict of evidence, judge's knowledgeAbstract
Judicial presumptions and witness testimony are among the most important means of proof in the Iranian legal system, playing a fundamental role in uncovering the truth and rendering a fair judgment. In judicial proceedings—especially in complex disputes—conflicts may arise between the content of judicial presumptions and witness testimony, compelling the judge to give precedence to one over the other. The main question of this study is: in the event of a conflict between judicial presumptions and testimony, which has the greater evidentiary value, and what is the criterion for such preference? Using a descriptive–analytical method and drawing on jurisprudential sources, statutory law, and Iranian judicial practice, this research examines the status of judicial presumptions when they conflict with witness testimony. The findings indicate that although witness testimony, as a general rule and due to its direct and certainty-producing nature, takes precedence over judicial presumptions, in cases where judicial presumptions are strong, well-substantiated, consistent with the circumstances of the case, and give rise to the judge’s knowledge or customary assurance, they may be preferred over testimony. Ultimately, the primary criterion for resolving such conflicts is the degree of the judge’s inner conviction and the realization of judicial knowledge, rather than the mere label or formal category of the evidence.
Downloads
References
Bahrami, B. (2010). Essentials of Evidentiary Proof (2 ed.). Negah-e Bineh Cultural Institute.
Doostipour, M. (2013). The Origin and Legitimacy of Judicial Presumptions. Legal Knowledge and Research Quarterly, 2(1).
Haddad-Adel, G. A. (1996). Encyclopaedia of the Islamic World (2 ed.). Foundation of the Encyclopaedia of Islam.
Jafari Langarudi, M. J. (1998). Legal Terminology (9 ed.). Ganj-e Danesh Publications.
Jafari, M. (2016). The Scope of the Evidentiary Authority of Confession in the Islamic Penal Code. Studies in Islamic Jurisprudence and Law, 8(15).
Katouzian, N. (2011). Proof and Evidentiary Proof (6 ed.). Mizan Publications.
Khazaei, S. A. (2008). An Analysis of the Conflict Between Documentary Evidence and Testimony in Iranian Law with a Comparative Study in Imami Jurisprudence
Khoei, A. (2012). Foundations of Takmilat al-Minhaj (Vol. 1). Al-Adab Press.
Majlesi, M. B. (1983). Bihar al-Anwar (2 ed., Vol. 19). Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
Makarem Shirazi, N. (1998). Tafsir Nemooneh (18 ed., Vol. 9). Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya.
Matin Daftari, A. (1999). Civil and Commercial Procedure (1 ed., Vol. 2). Majd Scientific and Cultural Society.
Mohammadi, F., & Sedighi, E. (2016). Rules and Foundations of Confession and Testimony and Conditions of Retraction. First National Conference on Islamic Sciences, Law, and Management, Qom.
Mohaqeq Damad, M. (1998). Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Vol. 3). Center for the Publication of Islamic Sciences.
Momen Qomi, M. (2001). Foundations of Tahrir al-Wasilah (1 ed., Vol. 1). Institute for the Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini’s Works.
Mousavi Golpayegani, S. M. R. (1996). Kitab al-Shahadat (1 ed.). Qom Publications.
Shahid Thani. (1994). Al-Rawda al-Bahiyya (2 ed., Vol. 3). Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi.
Shams, A. (2005). Civil Procedure (2 ed., Vol. 3). Derak Publications.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammad Javad Mazaheri Tehrani (Author); Hadi Azimi Gorkani; Majid Vaziri (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
