While a jury may find the defendant “not guilty,” an acquittal does not necessarily prove the defendant’s innocence. What does it mean that the case was acquitted?Īn acquittal is a formal acknowledgement that the prosecutor in a criminal case failed to prove the accused was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If the defendant is acquitted of a crime, it only means that the prosecutor in the case failed to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt according to the law. Under criminal law, an acquittal is a general term for a “not guilty” verdict, but it doesn’t mean the defendant is innocent of the crime. What does it mean if a defendant is acquitted? “Not guilty” means that the court does not have enough evidence to believe that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. A verdict of “not guilty” is an acquittal. There are two types of discharge.ĭoes acquittal mean the same as not guilty?Īcquittal and not guilty are two terms that are often used interchangeably in legal settings.
Is discharge a conviction?Ī discharge means your record won’t show a convictionedit A discharge means the judge finds you guilty, but then discharges you instead of convicting you. the complainant can agree to take back the charges levied against the accused, whereas, non – compoundable offences are the more serious offences in which the parties cannot compromise. What is compoundable and non compoundable?Ĭompoundable offences are those that can be compromised, i.e. Once acquitted, a defendant may not be retried for the same offense: “A verdict of acquittal, although not followed by any judgment, is a bar to a subsequent prosecution for the same offense.” Acquittal by directed verdict is also final and cannot be appealed by the prosecution. by Kenny Rodgers Jul 04, 2018.Ĭan a person be retried after an acquittal? Once an accused person is discharged and acquitted, he cannot be re-arrested and re-tried for that same offence. It is an order of court which totally frees a suspect who has been tried and found not guilty of the alleged crime. When there is a mistrial, however, the case may be retried. At trial, an acquittal occurs when the jury (or the judge if it’s a judge trial) determines that the prosecution hasn’t proved the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.Īn acquittal results from a not guilty verdict and cannot be appealed by the prosecution, overturned by the judge, or retried. In other words, to find a defendant not guilty is to acquit. What is the difference between acquittal and not guilty?Ī verdict of not guilty constitutes an acquittal. An acquittal signifies that a prosecutor failed to prove his or her case beyond a reasonable doubt, not that a defendant is innocent. At the end of a criminal trial, a finding by a judge or jury that a defendant is not guilty. 4 What does it mean that the case was acquitted?ĭefinition.
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