Denton Criminal Lawyer

Understanding Acquittal

For individuals facing criminal charges, acquittal is often the best outcome of a trial. If you feel that you were wrongly accused of a crime and choose to plead not guilty, an acquittal is probably the outcome you want. In an acquittal, the charges against you are dropped, and you cannot be retried on the same charges.

Grounds for Acquittal

There are several reasons that a jury may hand down the decision of an acquittal. Sometimes, people assume that an acquittal means that the jury believes the defendant did not commit the crime. However, acquittals are given for other reasons as well, including:

• Wrongful arrest
• Insufficient evidence to convict
• Not guilty because of insanity

Other Reasons for Lack of Conviction

There are other outcomes in trials that may also lead to a lack of conviction, though they are different than acquittals. If a jury cannot come to a consensus, or there are other legal problems during a trial, the judge may declare a mistrial. Also, if someone is found incompetent to stand trial, he or she cannot be found guilty, though the person may face required hospitalization. These outcomes are different than acquittal, since an acquittal means that the defendant cannot be tried again. In the cases of mistrial or incompetence, while the defendant is not found guilty, he or she may face another trial later.

Contact Us

If you are facing criminal charges of any kind, you need a dedicated defense lawyer fighting for your best interest, whether that is acquittal or something else. Call the Denton criminal defense lawyers of Alexander & Associates at 972-420-6560 today to begin work on your case.