What is the burden of proof in a criminal proceeding?

In a criminal proceeding, the burden of proof placed upon the prosecution is defined as "beyond a reasonable doubt." This standard is the highest level of proof required in the legal system and ensures that the prosecution must establish the defendant's guilt to such a degree that there is no reasonable doubt in the mind of a rational person that the defendant committed the alleged offense. It reflects the principle that it is better for a guilty person to go free than for an innocent person to be wrongfully convicted.

This high standard is intended to protect individuals from wrongful conviction and to uphold the integrity of the justice system. Each of the incorrect options refers to different standards of proof that apply in other legal contexts; for instance, "preponderance of the evidence" is used in civil cases, where the evidence simply needs to show that something is more likely true than not. "Clear and convincing evidence" is also a higher standard typically used in specific civil cases, while "probable cause" is the standard needed for law enforcement to make arrests or obtain search warrants, not for proving guilt in a criminal trial.