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The "beyond reasonable doubt" standard, used by criminal juries in the United States to determine guilt for a crime, also contrasts with probable cause which courts hold requires an unquantified level of proof well above that of probable cause's 51%.

There are three burdens of proof that exist for most cases: proof beyond a reasonable doubt, clear and convincing evidence, and preponderance of the evidence.

Burden of Proof The standard of proof in a criminal trial gives the prosecutor a much greater burden than the plaintiff in a civil trial. The defendant must be found guilty ?beyond a reasonable doubt,? which means the evidence must be so strong that there is no reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime.

?Preponderance of the evidence? means evidence that has more convincing force than that opposed to it. If the evidence is so evenly balanced that you are unable to say that the evidence on either side of an issue preponderates, your finding on that issue must be against the party who had the burden of proving it.

Either before or after the closing arguments by the lawyers, the judge will explain the law that applies to the case to you. This is the judge's instruction to the jury. You have to apply that law to the facts, as you have heard them, in arriving at your verdict.

In most instances, the selection process for several panels will take only a half-day; the majority of trials last only one-three days. Judges will often release jurors who have served on more than a couple of jury panels. For most, jury service consists of only one day of jury selection.

While no formal dress code exists, jurors are expected to dress in a manner that is respectful to the litigants and to the Court. The temperature in the courtrooms is generally cool; you may want to bring a sweater or jacket to wear so that you are comfortable.

Undue hardship; Extreme inconvenience; Public necessity; or. An inability to render satisfactory jury service because of a physical or mental disability.