Reverse onus means:

• A. The prosecution must prove all elements
• B. The burden shifts to the defendant to prove a matter
• C. The judge decides the outcome
• D. There is no burden of proof

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the burden of proof and who bears it. In most cases, the party bringing the case (the prosecution or Crown) must prove all the elements of the offense. When there is a reverse onus, that rule is flipped for a specific matter: the defendant must prove that particular fact or defense. This doesn’t remove all proof obligations—rather, for that issue the responsibility to provide evidence rests on the defendant rather than the Crown. This approach is common in certain regulatory or statutory contexts where it’s practical to require the alleged offender to show they complied or took necessary precautions, rather than placing the entire evidentiary burden on the state. So, the correct understanding is that the burden shifts to the defendant to prove a matter.