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burden of proof

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noun

Chiefly Law. the obligation to offer evidence that the court or jury could reasonably believe, in support of a contention, failing which the case will be lost.
the obligation to establish a contention as fact by evoking evidence of its probable truth.

Origin of burden of proof

First recorded in 1585–95
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for burden of proof

onus, responsibility
British Dictionary definitions for burden of proof

burden of proof

noun

law the obligation, in criminal cases resting initially on the prosecution, to provide evidence that will convince the court or jury of the truth of one's contention
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with burden of proof

burden of proof

Obligation of proving a disputed charge or allegation. For example, Are you sure you mailed the tax return on time? The burden of proof's on you. A legal term dating from the late 1500s, it has also been used more loosely in recent times.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.