Definition
A "legal burden" or a "burden of persuasion" is an obligation that remains on a single party for the duration of the claim. Once the burden has been entirely discharged to the satisfaction of the trier of fact, the party carrying the burden will succeed in its claim. For example, the presumption of innocence places a legal burden upon the prosecution to prove all elements of the offense (generally beyond a reasonable doubt) and to disprove all the defenses except for affirmative defenses in which the proof of non-existence of all affirmative defense(s) is not constitutionally required of the prosecution.
It is not to be confused with evidential burden, which is an obligation that shifts between parties over the course of the hearing or trial. It is not a burden of proof, but the burden to adduce sufficient evidence to properly raise an issue at court.
Read more about this topic: Legal Burden Of Proof
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