Significance

A jury can convict a criminal defendant only if it finds that all of the evidence introduced at trial indicates that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Reasonable Doubt Standard

For purposes of conviction, the reasonable doubt standard does not mean that a jury may not entertain doubts but only that the doubt would not affect a reasonable person's belief that the defendant is guilty. In a civil case, a jury may issue a judgment for a plaintiff if it finds that he has proven his case by a preponderance of the evidence. This is a less rigorous standard of proof than reasonable doubt.

Civil Trial Standard

In a civil case, a jury may issue a judgment for a plaintiff if it finds that he has proven his case by a preponderance of the evidence. This is a less rigorous standard of proof than reasonable doubt.

Standard For Probable Cause

Police can arrest an individual only if they have probable cause to believe that person has engaged in criminal activity. The amount of evidence sufficient to meet the probable cause standard is evidence from which a reasonable person could conclude that a suspect has committed or is in the process of committing a crime.

Constitutional Requirement

The concept of probable cause is based on the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.