What is the legal term for being found not guilty?
Asked by: Dr. Brody Muller Jr. | Last update: January 22, 2026Score: 4.8/5 (5 votes)
acquittal - Judgment that a criminal defendant has not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
What is it called when you are found not guilty?
An acquittal comes about when the trier of fact, a judge or jury, finds a defendant “not guilty” of the crime charged. At a trial, if you are found “not guilty” by a judge or jury, you are acquitted by the court.
What is the legal term for not admitting guilt?
A no-contest plea, also known as nolo contendere, is a legal option where the defendant neither disputes nor admits to the criminal charges. This type of plea allows the court to convict the defendant without the admission of guilt that accompanies a guilty plea.
What is the word for prove not guilty?
exonerated. Use the adjective exonerated to describe someone who's been proven innocent. A boy whose mother thinks he stole a bag of candy is exonerated when his teacher explains that he won the candy in a spelling contest. When a suspect is let off the hook, or freed from guilt, he is exonerated.
What is the difference between acquittal and exonerated?
The process often involves appeals and can result from various circumstances like new DNA results unavailable during the original trial or misidentification errors uncovered after conviction. This is different from an acquittal; an acquittal happens within the context of original criminal proceedings.
You're supposed to plead NOT GUILTY (even if you did it).
Is exonerated a legal term?
Exoneration—A person has been exonerated if he or she was convicted of a crime and, following a post-conviction re-examination of the evidence in the case, was relieved of all the consequences of the criminal conviction, and either: (1) was declared to be factually innocent by a government official or agency with the ...
Is being acquitted the same as being innocent?
Again, an acquittal does not always mean you are innocent; instead, it means the district attorney failed to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. An acquittal is not the same as getting criminal charges dismissed, which usually occurs before a jury trial begins.
What is the word for found not guilty?
declared not guilty of a specific offense or crime; legally blameless. “the jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity” synonyms: acquitted. clean-handed, guiltless, innocent.
What is the legal term for innocent until proven guilty?
Presumption of Innocence; Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. It is a cardinal principle of our system of justice that every person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent unless and until his or her guilt is established beyond a reasonable doubt.
What is the word for showing no guilt?
remorseless. Add to list Share. /rɪˈmɔrsləs/ A person who is remorseless doesn't feel any guilt. If you're remorseless, you don't feel bad at all — even if you've done something terrible.
Can I sue after being found not guilty?
If you are accused of a crime and acquitted or otherwise found not guilty of the offense, you can still face a civil lawsuit for the same incident. The Double Jeopardy clause only protects you from subsequent criminal prosecution in the legal system.
What is the terminology for not guilty?
acquittal - Judgment that a criminal defendant has not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
What is it called when someone has no guilt?
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a mental health condition that can affect the way you think and interact with others and lead you to: Manipulate or deceive people. Exploit or take advantage of someone else for your own benefit. Disregard the law or the rights of other people. Feel no remorse for your actions.
What is a word for not guilty?
Innocent and free from guilt, especially of a crime. innocent. guiltless. blameless. crimeless.
What are the most common legal terms?
- Action, Case, Suit. A legal dispute brought into court for a hearing or trial.
- Answer. ...
- Acquit. ...
- Cause of Action. ...
- Challenge for Cause. ...
- Closing Argument. ...
- Complaint. ...
- Counterclaim.
When someone is found not guilty?
What is Not Guilty? A not-guilty verdict in a criminal trial is a form of acquittal that says you are not legally answerable for the charges. The jury renders this verdict after a trial. It should be noted that neither of these terms suggests or confirms that you are innocent of the crime.
How to prove not guilty?
- Witness testimony: Have a reliable witness testify about where you were at the time the crime occurred.
- Security videos: Present traffic camera video footage, surveillance footage, or personal camera footage that shows you were someplace else when the crime occurred.
What is the legal term for found guilty?
A conviction is an adjudication of a criminal defendant 's guilt; specifically, it is the act or judicial process of finding a criminal defendant guilty of a charged offense .
Are you innocent until proven guilty in Canada?
In the legal system of many countries, including Canada, the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” is a fundamental aspect of criminal law. This means that an individual accused of a crime is considered innocent until the prosecution can prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
What is the word for proven not guilty?
“Acquitted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquitted.
What is another word for acquitted?
Some common synonyms of acquit are absolve, exculpate, exonerate, and vindicate. While all these words mean "to free from a charge," acquit implies a formal decision in one's favor with respect to a definite charge.
What is a word for without guilt?
synonyms: clean-handed, innocent. exculpatory. clearing of guilt or blame. absolved, clear, cleared, exculpated, exonerated, vindicated.
Can a judge overrule an acquittal?
A judge can deliver both these judgments, but they can't set aside an acquittal in a criminal case. Once a jury has rendered a not-guilty verdict, the judge can't overturn it.
What does nolle prosequi mean?
Nolle prosequi (abbreviated nol. pros. ) is a Latin phrase, which directly translates to “not to wish to prosecute.” Nolle prosequi is a legal notice or entry of record that the prosecutor or plaintiff has decided to abandon the prosecution or lawsuit .
What is the difference between adjudicated and acquitted?
A not guilty finding is an adjudication that proof at a prior proceeding was insufficient to overcome all reasonable doubt of guilt of the accused . One who is acquitted is judicially discharged from an accusation and is absolved. The double jeopardy clause bars appeal and retrial by the prosecutor .