elements of an offense / facts
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elements of an offense
In legal studies, the totality of the elements whose presence triggers a specific legal consequence. It describes the statutory requirements for a criminal act or a legal claim.
Der Richter prüfte, ob der Tatbestand des Diebstahls erfüllt war.
The judge examined whether the elements of the offense of theft had been met.
facts
The totality of the facts or circumstances that make up a particular situation; the facts of the matter.
Der Tatbestand ist klar: Die Firma hat über Jahre hinweg Verluste gemacht.
The facts are clear: the company has made losses for years.
The word is made up of 'die Tat' (the act/deed) and 'der Bestand' (the existence/stock). So it literally describes the 'bestand' (set) or totality of the facts that belong to an act or a situation.
Die Polizei muss zuerst den genauen Tatbestand des Unfalls aufnehmen.
The police must first record the exact facts of the accident.
This meaning of 'Tatbestand' (elements of an offense) belongs to legal terminology. It is used almost exclusively in contexts related to law, legislation, the police, or courts.
Das Gericht muss prüfen, ob der Tatbestand der Nötigung erfüllt ist.
The court must examine whether the elements of the offense of coercion have been met.
In a legal context, fixed combinations are common. For example, one says that a 'Tatbestand' (set of legal elements) is 'erfüllt' (met), 'verwirklicht' (realized/committed), or 'nicht gegeben' (not present).
Wenn alle Merkmale vorliegen, ist der Tatbestand des Betrugs erfüllt.
If all the elements are present, the elements of the offense of fraud have been met.
In the general meaning of 'Sachverhalt' (facts of the matter), the word is often used to describe a situation clearly and objectively. It is frequently combined with adjectives such as 'klar' (clear) or 'eindeutig' (unambiguous).
Der Tatbestand ist eindeutig: Die Exporte sind im letzten Quartal um 20 % gesunken.
The facts are unambiguous: exports fell by 20% in the last quarter.
facts / circumstances
Sachverhalt and Tatbestand can both refer to the facts of a legal case. Sachverhalt describes the specific circumstances, while in law Tatbestand refers to the elements that must be present for a legal consequence to follow. Choose Sachverhalt for presenting the case and Tatbestand for the legal assessment.
Das Gericht prüfte, ob der Tatbestand der strafbaren Handlung erfüllt war.
The court examined whether the elements of the criminal offense had been met.
Im Bericht schilderte die Anwältin den Sachverhalt mit allen wichtigen Einzelheiten.
In the report, the lawyer described the facts of the case in all the important details.
