Outward acts indicate the inward intent.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) A person's intent is proved by his conduct — when direct evidence of mental state is unavailable, courts infer intention from the outward acts and circumstances surrounding the deed.

Where this applies

• A defendant claims he did not intend to commit fraud, but the court points to his pattern of forging documents, hiding assets, and lying to auditors as outward acts proving fraudulent intent.
• A company denies it intended to discriminate, but its hiring records show a clear pattern of rejecting qualified minority applicants — the outward acts reveal the inward purpose.
• A man claims he entered the building by accident, but security footage shows him scouting the premises for days, picking the lock, and disabling the alarm — his actions betray his true intent.