the art of making reasonable doubt feel like a certainty.
means the legal reasoning a defendant's side presents to counter the prosecution and win acquittal or a lesser charge.
from rooted in adversarial legal systems dating to english common law, where the accused earned the right to formal representation and rebuttal only centuries after trials began, with the modern defense role solidifying in the 18th century.
self defense — claims the act was necessary to prevent harm, as in most stand your ground cases
alibi — proves physical impossibility, famously used in the central park five retrial
insanity defense — john hinckley jr acquitted by reason of insanity in 1982
entrapment — argues police induced the crime, central to many sting operation appeals