Beyond a reasonable doubt - Definition and Overview

Beyond a reasonable doubt is the highest level of burden of persuasion typically employed in the criminal procedure. This level of burden of proof is typically used in criminal trials, where the jury is required to have no reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.

Exactly what constitutes a reasonable doubt depends somewhat on the minds of the individual jurors, and many courtroom thrillers and legal dramas relate to the existence of a reasonable doubt in the mind of one or more jurors. In this respect, a "reasonable doubt" can be seen as another call on the "reasonable man" (or woman) often found in English-derived common law.

See also

• standard of proof
  • Clear and convincing evidence
  • Preponderance of the evidence