A not guilty verdict isn’t the sole means of getting an acquittal. A verdict of “not guilty” is an acquittal. Acquittal Law and Legal Definition. A release, absolution, or discharge from an obligation, liability, or engagement. A trial judge or an appeals court can also determine that the evidence of guilt presented by the prosecution wasn’t sufficient, and then acquit the defendant. An acquittal is a formal acknowledgement that the prosecutor in a criminal case failed to prove the accused was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.While a jury may find the defendant “not guilty,” an acquittal does not necessarily prove the defendant’s innocence. O.J. In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. A verdict of not guilty constitutes an acquittal. In Wednesday’s final impeachment vote in the Senate, only one Senate Republican, Mitt Romney, crossed party lines to vote to remove Donald Trump from office. “Not guilty” means that the court does not have enough evidence to believe that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. How to use acquittal in a sentence. Legal definition for ACQUITTAL: In contracts. An acquittal signifies that a prosecutor failed to prove his or her case beyond a reasonable doubt, not that a defendant is innocent.Thus, a person may be acquitted of a crime but found civilly liable in a civil case regarding that same crime, e.g. Learn more. At the end of a criminal trial, a finding by a judge or jury that a defendant is not guilty. Normally, the prosecution cannot appeal an acquittal and you’re free of the charge when acquitted. No Senate Democrat bucked party-line discipline to vote for Trump’s acquittal. acquittal definition: 1. the decision of a court that someone is not guilty: 2. the decision of a court that someone is…. A prosecutor must prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In criminal practice. In other words, to find a defendant not guilty is to acquit. 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. The finality of an acquittal is dependent on the jurisdiction. The legal and formal certification of the innocence of This followed last Friday’s 51–49 vote to conclude the trial on the basis of the evidence heard in the House, without live witness testimony. Acquittal definition is - a setting free from the charge of an offense by verdict, sentence, or other legal process. Acquit means to find a defendant in a criminal case not guilty. Definition. 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