Sanhedrin (סנהדרין) is one of ten tractates of Seder
Nezikin (a section of the
Talmud that deals with damages, i.e. civil and criminal proceedings). It originally formed one tractate with
Makkot, which also deals with criminal law. The
Gemara of the tractate is noteworthy as precursors to the development of
common law principles, for example the presumption of innocence and the rule that a criminal conviction requires the concurrence of twelve.