beyond a reasonable doubt译为“排除合理怀疑”
指在刑事诉讼中陪审团认定被告人有罪时适用的证明标准。即只有控诉方提出的证据对被告人有罪的事实的证明达到无合理怀疑的确定性程度时,陪审团方可裁断被告人有罪。为适用该标准,陪审团须首先推定被告人是无罪的。
要想弄清楚beyond a reasonable doubt,可能你需要先了解reasonable doubt。
reasonable doubt 合理怀疑
按照案件审理中提出的证据或因缺乏足够的证据,使正常的、谨慎的人对被告人是否有罪产生合乎情理的怀疑。认定刑事被告人有罪,必须达到“排除合理怀疑”的证明程度。
例 If the Grand Jury indicts the individual, the individual has the right to a speedy trial by jury where the state would have to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
【参考译文】 如果大陪审团指控某人犯罪,则此人有权获得由陪审团审判的快速审判权,在这中间须由有关州来证明该案件超出了合理怀疑。
例 In light of the seriousness of the penalties for violating a criminal law, both the Constitution and statutory law—federal and state codes—impose strict sets of procedural rules to ensure that persons who are accused of criminal acts are tried fairly and convicted only if guilt has been established beyond a reasonable doubt.
【参考译文】 由于违反刑法的处罚严重,宪法和制定法——联邦法典和州法典——都规定了严格的程序原则来确 保被指控有犯罪行为的人得到公正的审判,并且只有达到排除 了合理怀疑程度,才可作出有罪判决。
例 Criminal defendants are presumed innocent. The state must overcome this presumption of innocence by proving every element of the offense charged against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of all the jurors.
【参考译文}刑事被告人是被推定无罪的。国家要想推翻这一无罪推定,必须通过证明被告人被控犯罪的每一构成要件都排除合理怀疑,从而让所有陪审员满意。阖这就是美国法律中降低将无罪的人定罪这一风险 的最主要的方法。
参考
《元照英美法词典》
《英汉法律用语大辞典》(第2版)
《法律英语核心术语:实务基础》(屈文生)