Also known as:reasonably believe · reasonably believed · reasonable belief
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A belief held by an actor that a given fact or combination of facts exists when the circumstances the actor knows or should know would cause a reasonable person to hold the same belief.
Sources & Authorities
How it applies
Common Examples
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Officer Weighs Corporate Interest
Rachel Ramirez, an officer at Ridgeway Partners, learns of a potential acquisition that would expand the company's market share but requires short-term cash outlays. She authorizes the deal after concluding that the long-term gains outweigh the immediate costs. The board later challenges the decision, but her action satisfies the standard because she held a belief that the transaction served the corporation's interests and the known facts supported that conclusion for a reasonable officer in her position.
Judge Handles Scheduling Query
Roberto Reyes, presiding over a pending civil matter, receives an ex parte call from one party's counsel seeking only a new hearing date. He grants the request after determining that the other side will suffer no procedural or substantive disadvantage from the brief communication. The judge promptly notifies the remaining parties of the change, satisfying the standard because his belief that no party gained an advantage rested on the limited nature of the exchange and the known circumstances.
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Cases
Statutes
Federal Rules
Uniform Acts
Model Codes
Common Law
Restatements
Casebooks
Lawyer Considers Withdrawal
Ryan Roberts represents a client who insists on using the lawyer's services to structure a transaction that Roberts concludes involves ongoing fraudulent transfers. After repeated warnings, the client refuses to alter the plan. Roberts may withdraw because he reasonably believes the client's course of action is fraudulent and the known facts support that assessment for a reasonable lawyer in his position.
Officers Enter Home for Aid
Police respond to a report of a domestic disturbance at a residence occupied by Riley Rivera. Upon arrival they hear cries for help and observe blood on the threshold. They enter without a warrant because they reasonably believe an occupant is injured or imminently threatened, and the objective facts known at the time support that belief for a reasonable officer.
Buyer Relies on Expert Opinion
Rowan Russell, a developer, receives an environmental assessment from Dr. Lopez, whom he reasonably believes possesses special skill and objectivity compared with his own knowledge. Relying on the opinion that cleanup costs will be minimal, Russell purchases the property. The reliance is justified under the standard because the known circumstances support Russell's belief that the expert's judgment is superior.
Actor Assesses Self-Defense Facts
Roger Ramirez faces an advancing assailant who brandishes a weapon. He draws his own firearm after concluding that the assailant intends imminent unlawful force. The belief satisfies the standard because the circumstances Roger knows or should know would cause a reasonable person to conclude that defensive force is necessary.
Common questions
Frequently Asked
5
Does the standard require only a subjective belief or an objective component as well?+
The standard requires both. The actor must actually hold the belief, and the circumstances the actor knows or should know must be such that a reasonable person would hold the same belief.
How does the standard apply when an officer decides whether a transaction serves the corporation?+
An officer satisfies the standard by holding a subjective belief that the action is in the corporation's best interests when the known facts would cause a reasonable officer in a like position to reach the same conclusion.
In the self-defense context, what facts support a reasonable belief that force is necessary?+
The actor's belief is reasonable when the circumstances known or that should be known, such as an imminent threat of unlawful force, would cause a reasonable person to conclude that defensive force is required.
Does the standard turn on the actor's subjective motives in emergency-aid cases?+
No. The analysis is objective and focuses on whether the known facts would cause a reasonable officer to believe an occupant is injured or imminently threatened, regardless of the officers' actual motives.
When may a lawyer rely on the standard to withdraw from representation?+
A lawyer may withdraw when the client persists in a course the lawyer reasonably believes is criminal or fraudulent, provided the known facts would cause a reasonable lawyer to reach that conclusion.
505 U.S. 833, 112 S. Ct. 2791, 120 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1992)Constitutional Law
…to comply with the informed consent provisions "if he or she can demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence, that he or she reasonably believed that furnishing the information would have resulted in a severely adverse effect on the physical or mental health of the patient." 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3205 (1990). In this respect, the…