During a civil trial for breach of contract, the plaintiff presents evidence that a letter was sent to the defendant demanding payment. While there is no direct evidence showing the letter was received, the plaintiff provides a certified mail receipt showing delivery to the defendant's address. The defendant denies receiving the letter. The court instructs the jury regarding a legal presumption that a properly mailed document is assumed to have been received. How does this presumption impact the trial?
It shifts the burden of production to the defendant, requiring them to introduce information challenging the presumption of receipt.
It shifts the ultimate burden of proving receipt to the defendant, requiring them to establish the letter was never delivered.
It requires the plaintiff to provide additional proof that the defendant personally received the letter.
It creates an inference that the letter reached the defendant, which the defendant may counter by raising questions about its delivery.
The presumption that a properly mailed document is assumed to have been received shifts the burden of production to the defendant. Once the plaintiff presents evidence supporting proper mailing, such as a certified mail receipt, the defendant must present information to challenge or weaken the presumption, such as evidence that the letter was lost or misdelivered. It is important to emphasize that this presumption is rebuttable, meaning the defendant can contest it, and it does not relieve the plaintiff of the ultimate burden of persuasion, which remains with them. Incorrect answers often confuse the concepts of burden of production and burden of persuasion or overstate the presumption’s finality.
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