What is the outcome if a person is acquitted in a criminal trial?

When a person is acquitted in a criminal trial, they are considered innocent of the crime for which they were charged. Acquittal means that the prosecution did not prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a fundamental principle in criminal law. This outcome reflects the presumption of innocence that each individual holds until proven guilty.

Acquittal results in a legal status where the individual cannot be retried for the same offense due to the principle of double jeopardy, which protects individuals from being tried again for the same crime after a not guilty verdict. Additionally, an acquittal does not imply any automatic civil penalties or fines, as these are separately determined by civil law and are not a direct consequence of a criminal trial's outcome. Therefore, the classification of the acquitted individual as innocent of the crime is foundational to the justice system and underscores the protective measures that exist to ensure fairness in legal proceedings.