How is the burden of proof determined in a criminal trial?

In a criminal trial, the burden of proof needed to determine guilt or innocence is determined by the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard. This means that in order to reach a guilty verdict, the jury must be extremely sure that the defendant committed the crime in question. The “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard is the highest burden of proof in the legal system. In Washington, the standard of proof has been established to deviate slightly from the traditional approach. The court in the State of Washington requires that only “substantial evidence” needs to be presented to convince a jury of guilt. Simply put, this means that enough evidence needs to be presented that a jury finds the defendant guilty without a reasonable doubt. In order to meet the burden of proof in the State of Washington, prosecutors must provide evidence that, when taken in totality, paints a convincing picture of the defendant’s guilt. This evidence must be both direct and circumstantial. Direct evidence is evidence that directly links the defendant to the crime, such as eyewitness testimony or the defendant’s own confession. Circumstantial evidence is evidence that does not directly link the defendant to the crime, but rather implies that the defendant is guilty. Ultimately, in order to prove guilt in a criminal trial in the State of Washington, the prosecution must prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt or, alternatively, that there is substantial evidence to support the charges.

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