1. A fundamental or basic fact that serves as the foundation for something else; a fact that lies beneath the surface or is not immediately apparent
The underlying fact of the case was that the defendant had prior knowledge of the crime.
O fato subjacente do caso era que o réu tinha conhecimento prévio do crime.
2. In legal or academic contexts, the core or essential fact upon which an argument, conclusion, or decision is based
Despite the complex arguments, the underlying fact remained simple: negligence occurred.
Apesar dos argumentos complexos, o fato subjacente permaneceu simples: houve negligência.