That is the best choice when the truth of the clause following doubt is assumed, as in negative sentences and questions. Note that, in certain kinds of sentences, the choice of conjunction can carry subtle differences in implication. Some 86 percent of the Panel prefer that in the sentence I doubt it will rain tomorrow (where the expectation is that it probably won't rain), with whether getting the preference of only 6 percent and if getting 7 percent. When the expectation for the outcome is negative, that tends to be used. Only 6 percent said they would favor if in this sentence, probably because if has a more informal tone. In our 2008 survey, 51 percent indicated that they would use that, while 43 percent preferred whether in the following sentence: At one time it was doubtful the company could recover from its financial difficulties, but the government loan seems to have helped. When doubt and doubtful indicate strong uncertainty, the Usage Panel prefers whether and that over if. Wilbur.Usage Note: The choice of what conjunction to use following doubt and doubtful is a perennial usage problem. This standard of proof is much higher than the civil standard, called “ preponderance of the evidence,” which only requires a certainty greater than 50 percent.įor an article detailing the origins of this standard, download this University of Chicago Law Review article.įor Supreme Court cases related to this legal standard, see Patterson v. In other words, the jury must be virtually certain of the defendant’s guilt in order to render a guilty verdict. This means that the prosecution must convince the jury that there is no other reasonable explanation that can come from the evidence presented at trial. In a criminal case, the prosecution bears the burden of proving that the defendant is guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal burden of proof required to affirm a conviction in a criminal case.
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