Legal Definitions - implied acquittal

Implied acquittal is a legal term that refers to a situation where a jury convicts a defendant of a lesser offense without commenting on the greater offense. This means that the defendant is not found guilty of the more serious charge, but is still convicted of a related, lesser charge.

For example, if someone is charged with murder, but the jury convicts them of manslaughter instead, this would be an implied acquittal of the murder charge. The defendant cannot be retried for the murder charge because of double jeopardy laws.

Another example of implied acquittal is when a principal is acquitted of a crime, but an accessory is charged and later acquitted as well. This is because the accessory's acquittal is considered an implied acquittal of the principal's charge.

Overall, implied acquittal is an important legal concept that protects defendants from being retried for the same offense and ensures that justice is served fairly.