1. IMPORTANT TERMS America’s Courts

2. Important Terms Defense/Defendant: The accused party Prosecution: In a criminal trial, the accuser. Usually the state or federal government Plaintiff: In a civil trial, the accuser.

3. Burden of Proof: The duty placed upon a party to prove or disprove a disputed fact Preponderance of Evidence: the greater weight of the evidence. In a civil trial, the plaintiff must prove the defendant guilty by a preponderance of evidence. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: the prosecution must be proven to the extent that there could be no "reasonable doubt" in the mind of a "reasonable person" that the defendant is guilty. In a criminal trial, the prosecution must prove the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

4. lawsuit Law is broken