Clear and Convincing Evidence

Clear and Convincing Evidence is a high level of proof. It is employed intra-adjudicatively in Administrative Court determinations, as well as in civil and certain criminal procedure in the United States. This standard is used in many types of equity cases, including paternity, PINS, juvenile delinquency, child custody, the probate of both wills and living wills, and petitions.

Clear and convincing proof means that the Evidence presented by a party during the trial must be highly and substantially more probable to be true than not and the trier of fact must have a firm belief or conviction in its factuality.

This standard is also known as "Clear and Convincing Evidence"; "Clear, Convincing, and Satisfactory Evidence"; "Clear, Cognizant, and Convincing Evidence"; and "Clear, Unequivocal, Satisfactory, and Convincing Evidence", and is applied in cases or situations involving an equitable remedy or where a presumptive civil liberty interest exists.