The first step in ensuring a fair trial is to select a pool of jurors who are unbiased, but more importantly, those who understand what it means to prove someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In a criminal jury trial, the burden of proof is the same regardless of whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony.įelonies carry harsher penalties and include crimes such as: This is referred to as the burden of proof. In order to achieve a conviction in a criminal trial, the defendant does not need to prove their innocence, but instead the Prosecutor must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. One might try to explain it as a truth that is simply obvious. Not to mention, it can be difficult to define exactly what “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” even means. As important as they are to our justice system, the words “reasonable doubt” are not mentioned in the Constitution. The civil court standard, on the other hand, only requires “preponderance of the evidence,” or a certainty of guilt greater than 50%.īut the origins of “reasonable doubt” in the United States only go back to around 1790, when the standard of proof was introduced by the Court. justice system, conviction in a criminal trial requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the highest level of proof. This is probably one of the most important aspects when picking a jury in Michigan. For a criminal defense attorney, one of the most challenging tasks is explaining to a juror the levels of proof needed to determine of innocence or guilt. In theory, no one can be convicted of a crime without a clear certainty of their guilt.
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