What does "prior knowledge" mean?

Knowledge of a set of circumstances sufficient to make actions based on those circumstances wrongful.

Prior knowledge

Common synonyms include: assumed knowledge, background information, background knowledge, bias, existing knowledge, foreknowledge.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Knowledge of a set of circumstances sufficient to make actions based on those circumstances wrongful. uncountable
"The defendant was convicted because the prosecutor proved the defendant's prior knowledge of the victim's particular vulnerability."
2
Prior to the inception of an insurance policy, knowledge of specific extant circumstances that could reasonably give rise to a claim under that policy. uncountable
"All our policies require a declaration of no prior knowledge as a matter of routine."
3
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see prior, knowledge. uncountable
"I had no prior knowledge of linguistics, but that didn't stop me from writing a dictionary."

"The defendant was convicted because the prosecutor proved the defendant's prior knowledge of the victim's particular vulnerability."