Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

This phrase, heard countless times every day in American courtrooms across the country, sets forth the burden of proof placed upon the prosecution in a criminal trial. Yet this cherished principle is not mentioned in the Constitution, nor is it defined by any laws. What, then, does beyond a reasonable doubt really mean, and how should it be interpreted and applied? In Beyond a Reasonable Doubt more than 80 distinguished contributors reflect on what this standard really means and how it is applied. Brilliantly dissecting its meaning from every angle, attorneys, judges, novelists, journalists,…