beyond reasonable doubt

#1 (**permalink**) 23-Aug-2003, 12:56

Are these sentences correct:
1-I know beyond reasonable doubt that he is guilty.
2-Can you affirm beyond reasonable doubt that he is guilty?

Tdol · #2 (**permalink**) 23-Aug-2003, 19:26

Yes.

RonBee · #3 (**permalink**) 23-Aug-2003, 22:15

One minor correction. It should be beyond a reasonable doubt. I don't think the phrase is ever used without the article.

:)

Tdol · #4 (**permalink**) 23-Aug-2003, 22:32

It can be countable or uncountable in BE:
beyong reasonable doubt
beyond any reasonable doubt
beyond a reasonable doubt

They all sound fine to me.

RonBee · #5 (**permalink**) 24-Aug-2003, 03:06

Hm. I have always heard beyond a reasonable doubt. Perhaps it is a BE/AE difference. Maybe I'll do a Google check and see what I come up with.

Tdol · #6 (**permalink**) 24-Aug-2003, 19:47

It's three times more common with the article, but without gets 30,000 hits.

RonBee · #7 (**permalink**) 25-Aug-2003, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdol

It's three times more common with the article, but without gets 30,000 hits.

Interesting. I had always heard that in instructions to a jury in a criminal case that they must find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It is reasonable to expect tho that there are other circumstance in which that phrase is used. I wonder if the one without the article is used in a different context. I expect that that might be the case.

:)

Tdol · #8 (**permalink**) 25-Aug-2003, 20:34

It could be- I've never sat on a jury.


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