Rule 500 Except as otherwise provided by law, a party has the burden of proof as to each fact the existence or nonexistence of which is essential to the claim …

When you make a claim in court or defend yourself against one, you are responsible for proving the facts that support your side. You cannot just say something is true; you have to back it up with evidence.

This works for both sides. If you are suing someone, you must prove the facts that make your case. If you are defending yourself, you must prove the facts that support your defense. The basic idea is that whoever brings up a fact that matters to their case has to prove it.

There are some exceptions written into other laws, but as a general rule, you carry the weight of proving your own side of the story.