Beyond reasonable doubt
Definition
The criminal standard of proof in adversarial jurisdictions including England and Wales, the United States, and India. The factfinder must be sure of guilt; doubt based on reason requires an acquittal.
Related terms
- Adversarial system
- A legal model in which two opposing parties (prosecution and defence, or claimant and defendant) present competing cases to a neutral decision-maker....
- Burden of proof
- The obligation to prove a fact or claim. In criminal law the prosecution typically bears the burden; in civil law the claimant...
- Duty to the court
- The obligation of expert witnesses in UK proceedings (and, to varying degrees, in other jurisdictions) to assist the court with objective, unbiased...
- Hired gun
- An expert who tailors opinions to advance the case of the party paying them rather than giving an independent assessment. The term...
- Inquisitorial system
- A model of legal proceedings, common in civil-law countries such as France and Germany, in which the court takes an active role...
Explained in
- The Adversarial System and the Scientist's Place in ItThe criminal standard of proof in adversarial jurisdictions including England and Wales, the United States, and India. The factfinder must be sure of guilt; do...