Acquittal Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Acquittal.

Acquittal (noun): In criminal law, acquittal refers to the decision that a person is not guilty of the crime they have been charged with. It means that the accused party has been cleared or freed from legal blame. There are two types of acquittals:

1. In fact: This type occurs when a trial concludes with a decision that the person is not guilty.
2. In law: This kind occurs when the person who was an accessory (someone who assists in the crime but does not actually commit it) to the crime is cleared because the main person involved in the crime has been acquitted.