This phrase. Heard countless times every day in American courtrooms the country, sets forth the burden of proof placed upon the prosecution in a criminal trial. Yet this cherished principle is not mentioned in the Constitution, nor is it defined by any laws. What, then, does "beyond a reasonable doubt" really mean, and how should it be interpreted and applied? In Beyond a Reasonable Doubt more than 80 distinguished contributors reflect on what this standard really means and how it is applied. Brilliantly dissecting its meaning from every angle, attorneys, judges, novelists, journalists, religious leaders and convicted felons shine a light on the most compelling standard in our legal system.

ELAINE CHARLSON BREDEHOFT is a principal and founder of Charlson Bredehoft & Cohen, P.C. in Reston, Virginia. Ms. Bredehoft practices civil litigation, with an emphasis in employment and business law, primarily in Virginia and D.C. federal and state courts. Ms. Bredehoft has been listed in The Best Lawyers In America since 1997. She was named by Washingtonian magazine as one of the "Fifty Best Lawyers in Washington" in 1997 , one of the "Forty Top Lawyers Under 40" in 1998,one of "75 Best Lawyers" in 2002, and one of the top Employment Lawyers in 2004. Ms. Bredehoft was recently featured in The Legal Times as one of "Twelve of the D.C. Area's Top Labor & Employment Litigators." In 2003, Ms. Bredehoft was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an organization electing and limiting its membership to the top one percent of trial lawyers in each state, and in 2005, Ms. Bredehoft was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, an honor reserved for only 500 trial attorneys under age 70 in the United States. Ms. Bredehoft is also a permanent member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference. Ms Bredehoft is a frequent lecturer at CLEs and bar association sponsored seminars.