1. In law, a fact that is incidental or tangential to the main issue in dispute, often inadmissible as evidence because it does not directly prove or disprove the central claim
The witness testified about a collateral fact regarding the defendant's past, which the judge ruled inadmissible because it was not relevant to the current charges.
A testemunha testemunhou sobre um fato colateral relacionado ao passado do réu, que o juiz decidiu inadmissível porque não era relevante para as acusações atuais.
2. A subsidiary or supporting fact that exists alongside the main matter under consideration
The defendant tried to introduce collateral facts to distract from the primary evidence against him.
O réu tentou introduzir fatos colaterais para distrair da principal prova contra ele.