What is the difference between an acquittal and a dismissal?

An acquittal and dismissal are both legal outcomes of a criminal court case. When a person is accused of a crime, they have a right to a trial where they can defend their innocence. An acquittal is the result of a court finding a person not guilty of the crime they were accused of. This result happens when the judge or jury finds that the prosecution was unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. A dismissal is also a court result, but it is different from an acquittal. The jury or judge may decide to dismiss the case even before a trial takes place. This usually happens if the prosecutor does not find enough evidence to prove the defendant is guilty. A dismissal does not necessarily mean the defendant is innocent, it simply means the prosecutor did not have enough evidence to prove the case. The main difference between an acquittal and a dismissal is that with an acquittal, a person is found not guilty while a dismissal means that the prosecutor has not presented enough evidence to prove guilt. In some instances, such as in Washington, the defendant may be eligible to have the criminal charges dismissed without a trial if they complete a diversion program or other approved programs. In those cases, the criminal charges against the person are dropped and they do not have to go to court.

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What is the difference between an acquittal and a dismissal?

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