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causation n1 a
: the act or process of causing [proof of objective of injury by the perpetrator "Alan Freeman"]
b : the act or agency that produces an effect [evidence was presented on doctor's malpractice…for…proof of "National Law Journal"] [if plaintiffs could establish…that the caps were manufactured by one of the defendants, the burden of proof as to would shift to all the defendants "Sindell v. Abbott Laboratories, 607 P.2d 924 (1980)"]
2 : the relation between cause and effect esp. as an element to be proven in a tort or criminal case [must be “legal” between the acts and the results "W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr."] see also chain of causation
Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.