The burden of proof at a Rhode Island probation violation hearing is lower than at a criminal trial. For a technical violation (breaking a probation rule without a new offense), the prosecution must prove the violation by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not. For a substantive violation (a new criminal charge while on probation), the prosecution must show probable cause that you committed the new offense. Neither standard is as demanding as the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt standard required for a criminal conviction. This is why violation hearings can result in revocation even when the underlying new criminal charge has not yet been adjudicated.
