We've discussed what "beyond a reasonable doubt" means several times before, here and here. However, it's necessary in this case to show the connection between this idea and "innocent until proven guilty." If you recall from last week, this phrase means that the court needs to assume the innocence of the accused until the facts [...]
You've heard the phrase "innocent until proven guilty" before. Maybe from a movie, TV show, in your own case, or even from this website. But what does "innocent until proven guilty" mean? Does it apply to all court cases and trials? Furthermore, what does it have to do with "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt"? Most [...]
So you're called to jury duty. What a hassle, right? Few people want to do it even though it comes with paid time off. But if you're selected to serve, you might as well make the best of it. However, few people really understand the role of a juror, how the trial process works, or [...]
Last week we began a new blog series about the most basic things regarding courtroom procedure. We want our readers to understand some of the elementary aspects about trials and courtroom procedure. So, our first blog focused on all the personnel and positions in a courtroom. Today, we're taking a deeper at look at that. [...]
Last week we covered “plausible deniability.” This week we’re covering a related topic: reasonable doubt. What does this mean? How does New Jersey law define it? How does the court apply it? These are important questions if you’re going to understand your own trial and how an effective attorney might handle your case. So, if [...]
“Innocent until proven guilty.” This principle forms the foundation for our criminal justice system. In any criminal trial, the burden of proof rests on the prosecution to demonstrate guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt." But what does that phrase mean? The following is a brief summary from Mark Catanzaro. Here he defines “beyond a reasonable doubt” [...]