Acquittal

ACQUITTAL Meaning

Acquittal is the release of a defendant after a not guilty judgement. Alternatively, an acquittal is the consequence of a finding that any or all of the factual components of the claimed crime cannot be proven. The defendant will subsequently be found not guilty, exonerated of the charge, and the case will be dismissed. An acquittal can mean the defendant is innocent of the crime; or it means that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt or lacked sufficient evidence, and no further action was taken.

When is there an ACQUITTAL

An acquittal in court in occurs when a defendant is found not guilty of the charges brought against them. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as insufficient evidence, a lack of witnesses to back up the prosecution's case, or the judge or jury not finding the prosecution's case persuasive beyond reasonable doubt. An acquittal carries significant weight as the defendant is exonerated from all charges and cannot face further prosecution for the same offence. It is essential to note that an acquittal does not necessarily mean that the defendant is innocent, as it only indicates that the prosecution was unable to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

No further action

In the UK criminal court system, "no further action" or NFA is a decision made by the police or Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to halt an investigation or prosecution of a criminal case. NFA is typically used when there is insufficient evidence to charge someone or when a witness is unable or unwilling to testify. Sometimes, cases are also closed due to other factors such as a lack of public interest or the unlikelihood of a successful prosecution. After NFA is declared, the individual under investigation is free to go, and acquitted.

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