Guilt
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia · John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
Thaf which renders criminal and liable to punishment. That disposition to violate the law, which has manifested itself by some act already done. The opposite of Innocence. See Rutherf. Inst b.
1, c. 18, S. 10.
In general, every one is presumed Innocent until guilt has been proved; but in some cases the presumption of guilt overthrows that of innocence; as, for example, where a party destroys evidence to which the opposite party is entitled. The spoliation of papers material to show the neutral character of a vessel furnishes strong presumption against the neutrality of the ship; The Pizarro, 2 Wheat (U. S.) 227, 4 L. Ed. 226.