preponderance of the evidence

preponderance of the evidence
pre·pon·der·ance of the evidence /pri-'pän-də-rəns-/: the standard of proof in most civil cases in which the party bearing the burden of proof must present evidence which is more credible and convincing than that presented by the other party or which shows that the fact to be proven is more probable than not; also: the evidence meeting this standard
plaintiffs must show by a preponderance of the evidence that defendant's negligence proximately caused the injuries compare clear and convincing, reasonable doubt

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. . 1996.

preponderance of the evidence
n.
The usual standard of proof in civil cases, in which the evidence of one side is more likely to be true than the evidence of the opposing side; evidence that is more probable than not.

The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. . 2008.


preponderance of the evidence
The burden of proof required in a civil (non-criminal) action to convince the court that a given proposition is true. The plaintiff must convince the judge or jury by a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiff's version is true — that is, over 50% of the believable evidence is in the plaintiff's favor. Compare: reasonable doubt
Category: Accidents & Injuries
Category: Small Claims Court & Lawsuits

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary. . 2009.

preponderance of the evidence
USA
The standard of proof, commonly used in civil litigation, that requires the party with the burden of proof to demonstrate that an allegation or argument is more likely to be true than false. This standard of proof is less than the clear and convincing evidence standard often used to prove civil liability and the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard commonly used to prove criminal liability.

Practical Law Dictionary. Glossary of UK, US and international legal terms. . 2010.


preponderance of the evidence
n. A more convincing amount of evidence than the other side has; the general standard for finding for one side in a civil case; enough proof to convince the judge that something is more likely to have occurred than not to have occurred.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary. . 2000.

preponderance of the evidence
n.
   the greater weight of the evidence required in a civil (non-criminal) lawsuit for the trier of fact (jury or judge without a jury) to decide in favor of one side or the other. This preponderance is based on the more convincing evidence and its probable truth or accuracy, and not on the amount of evidence. Thus, one clearly knowledgeable witness may provide a preponderance of evidence over a dozen witnesses with hazy testimony, or a signed agreement with definite terms may outweigh opinions or speculation about what the parties intended. Preponderance of the evidence is required in a civil case and is contrasted with "beyond a reasonable doubt," which is the more severe test of evidence required to convict in a criminal trial. No matter what the definition stated in various legal opinions, the meaning is somewhat subjective.
   See also: evidence

Law dictionary. . 2013.

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