What is the standard of proof in a court-martial?

In the state of Washington, the standard of proof in a court-martial is beyond a reasonable doubt. This is the highest standard of proof in the United States judicial system and is required in any criminal court proceeding. Beyond a reasonable doubt means that there must be no doubt in the minds of the jury that the defendant is guilty. The standard requires a jury to be certain that the defendant is guilty before they can convict. The burden of proof in a court-martial is the same as it would be in any other criminal proceedings. The prosecution must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and the defense attorney must be able to raise reasonable doubts about the guilt of the defendant. The court-martial system is composed of a panel of military judges and members that decide whether a defendant is guilty or not. All members of the court-martial must agree on the verdict. The standard of proof required in a court-martial is higher than what is required for civil law suits. In civil cases, the plaintiff must only prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence. This means that the jury must believe that the plaintiff is more likely to be right than wrong. The higher standard of proof in court-martials is meant to protect the rights of those accused of military criminal offenses.

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What is the standard of proof in a court-martial?

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