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NRS 175.211

Definition of reasonable doubt; no other definition to be given to juries

Applied in 63 court decisions — leading case Petrocelli v. State (1985)

Most recently applied in Keck (William) Vs. State (Death Penalty-Pc) (April 2021)

(Added to NRS by 1967, 1427; A 1991, 257)

How often courts cite this section

19741980199020002010202160
citing decisions per year

Court decisions citing this, by year. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.

1. A reasonable doubt is one based on reason. It is not mere possible doubt, but is such a doubt as would govern or control a person in the more weighty affairs of life. If the minds of the jurors, after the entire comparison and consideration of all the evidence, are in such a condition that they can say they feel an abiding conviction of the truth of the charge, there is not a reasonable doubt. Doubt to be reasonable must be actual, not mere possibility or speculation.

2. No other definition of reasonable doubt may be given by the court to juries in criminal actions in this State.

Official source: Nevada Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Nevada statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.