Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

The phrase "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" describes the prosecution's high burden of proof in a criminal trial. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a far higher standard than the "preponderance of the evidence" standard used in civil proceedings. The requirement that the state meet a high burden of proof in a criminal trial has existed, in some form, since the twelfth century. Exactly how that burden of proof was described changed over time, however. The most frequent charge used for the burden of proof during the eighteenth century was that a juror should acquit if "any doubt" existed. By the early nineteenth century, American courts commonly required proof of guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt" in criminal trials. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a crucial component of the criminal trial. It imposes a difficult burden on the prosecution as a means of ensuring that no innocent person is convicted.