This expression is used both in everyday language and in the legal context. In both cases, it expresses a general idea: that when you suspect that someone may behave improperly, it is preferable not to prejudge them beforehand.
In other words, we give someone the benefit of the doubt when we don't want to think badly about them in advance and decide to give them a margin of confidence. This approach expresses an ethical assessment, since it is unfair to prejudge others based on assumptions or personal prejudices.
An example that illustrates in what context this expression can be used
Let's imagine that we receive a visit from a neighbor we hardly know who asks us for a small amount of money to attend to an emergency. Initially, we might think that it is not wise to lend him the money, since we only know him by sight and it is risky to trust someone with whom we have no personal relationship.
Despite the risk we take, we decided to lend you the money so that you can solve your problem. With this way of acting, we are granting or granting the neighbor the benefit of the doubt, since the initial suspicions towards him do not go against him. We have suspicions or doubts about the return of the money, but we decide to trust that person.
It is very likely that our generous and confident action is based on a universal moral assessment: we must act with others as we would like to be acted with us.
From a legal point of view
If a person is tried for a crime and there is no conclusive evidence linking him to the criminal action, the judge can acquit him for lack of evidence. In this case, the alleged offender is acquitted for the benefit of the doubt. Thus, it is possible that the judge has the personal conviction that an individual is guilty, but if there is no definitive evidence that incriminates him, it is necessary that he be declared acquitted. Therefore, someone may be the true culprit of a crime, but still get acquitted.
The benefit of the doubt is directly related to the right to be presumed innocent (the alleged offender is innocent until proven guilty).
It is worth remembering that in criminal law another principle very similar to the one we analyzed also applies: in dubio pro reo (if there are doubts about a criminal action, the court must act in favor of the accused and never against him).
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