200. Obligation to Prove More Likely True Than Not True

200. Obligation to Prove?More Likely True Than Not True Instruction No 1 Request by Plaintiff Request by Defendant Requested by Given as Proposed Given as Modified Given on Court?s Motion Refused Withdrawn Judge Instruction No 1 A party must persuade you, by the evidence presented in court, that what he or she is required to prove is more likely to be true than not true. This is referred to as ?the burden of proof.? After weighing all of the evidence, if you cannot decide that something is more likely to be true than not true, you must conclude that the party did not prove it. You should consider all the evidence, no matter which party produced the evidence. In criminal trials, the prosecution must prove that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But in civil trials, such as this one, the party who is required to prove something need prove only that it is more likely to be true than not true. New September 2003; Revised February 2005