Louisiana Private Investigator Licensing Practice Exam

In a civil case, which standard must a jury use to decide the outcome?

1. Beyond a reasonable doubt

2. Preponderance of the evidence

3. Clear and convincing evidence

4. Probable cause

The correct answer is: Preponderance of the evidence

In civil cases, the standard that a jury must use to determine the outcome is known as the "preponderance of the evidence." This standard requires the jury to find that it is more likely than not that the claim is true. Essentially, if the evidence presented leads the jury to believe that there is a greater than 50% chance that the claims made by the plaintiff are accurate, then they have met this burden of proof. This standard is fundamentally different from the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard, which is used in criminal cases and requires a much higher level of certainty about the facts in question. The "clear and convincing evidence" standard lies between the two and is typically used in certain civil matters but is not the general standard for civil cases overall. "Probable cause" refers to a standard needed for law enforcement to conduct searches or make arrests, which does not apply in the context of civil trials. Therefore, "preponderance of the evidence" is the correct standard for civil cases, reflecting the typical burden of proof in this context.