beyond a reasonable doubt

Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal burden of proof required for a criminal conviction. In a criminal case, the prosecution must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning the evidence must leave jurors firmly convinced of the defendant’s guilt. The standard requires more certainty than any other burden of proof in law. It is much higher than the civil standard of preponderance of the evidence, which only requires that a claim be more likely true than not.

See also: Patterson v. New York, 432 U.S. 197 (1977), Mullaney v. Wilbur, 421 U.S. 684 (1975)

[Last reviewed in August of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team] 

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