![]() Proving the Defendant Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt ![]() It is applied in criminal cases because the stakes are high and a jury must be thoroughly convinced that the defendant committed the crime he is accused of. Beyond a reasonable doubt is the highest standard of proof.Clear and convincing evidence is an intermediary burden of proof that is similar to showing a 75% likelihood that something occurred.If one more page is added, this is a preponderance. When explaining the idea of a preponderance of evidence to a jury, trial lawyers often use the idea of two stacks of paper, each with the same number of pages. It means slightly more than a 50% belief that a fact is true. A preponderance of the evidence is the lowest burden of proof in the American legal system.To better understand proof beyond a reasonable doubt, it is helpful to consider the three standards of proof that a court can apply. ![]() The idea was first expressed in 1765, when an English judge named William Blackstone wrote, “It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffers.”īy requiring such a high standard of proof, the American legal system seeks to ensure that only people who are truly guilty are convicted.īut what does proof beyond a reasonable doubt actually mean? What Is Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt? Requiring that a prosecutor prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt is a fundamental concept in American law that is intended to ensure that only people who are truly guilty are convicted of committing a crime. ![]() Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is the highest standard of proof in the American legal system. ![]()
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