BURDEN OF PROOF
In the legal context, the burden of proof plays a critical role in the success of a case. It is the legal requirement to establish who is responsible for presenting evidence that proves or defeats a claim. It also determines how much evidence is needed to achieve that goal.
If your party has the burden of proof, the law requires you to put forth enough evidence that will support your claims. Most of the time, the party bringing the claim—called the plaintiff—has the burden of proof. Evidence is typically in the form of objects, documents, and witness testimonies.
During a trial, the judge assigns the burden of proof to different parties. Both the judge and jury will decide if the party was able to satisfy this burden and what the consequences of success or failure will be. The extent to which parties must convince the judge and jury and the sort of evidence they must submit depends on the circumstances of the case. For instance, there are times when a plaintiff must prove the accusation beyond a reasonable doubt, while in other cases, a more lenient standard of proof will suffice.
Key Points:
- The burden of proof is a legal requirement that determines the viability of a claim based on the factual evidence produced.
- Typically, the onus for burden of proof lies with the party initiating or filing a claim.
- Burden of proof is used extensively in cases involving insurance claims or lawsuits involving financial malfeasance.
- The intended goal of burden of proof is to ensure that legal decisions are determined based on facts rather than conjecture, supporting all parties in fairness.
- In civil cases, the ruling is based on a preponderance of the evidence, i.e. more than 50% of the evidence provided must point to something useful in determining whether the case should proceed.
