An acquittal is the official decision that someone accused of a crime is not guilty. When a jury or judge delivers an acquittal, they're saying the evidence wasn't strong enough to prove the person committed the crime. The accused person walks free, legally not guilty.

The word comes from court trials, where prosecutors must prove someone's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If they can't meet that high standard, the defendant receives an acquittal. This doesn't necessarily mean the jury thinks the person is innocent: it means the prosecution didn't prove their case convincingly enough.

Acquittal is different from a pardon, which forgives someone already found guilty. It's also different from dismissal, which happens when charges get dropped before a trial finishes. An acquittal comes at the end of a complete trial, after both sides present their evidence.

In many legal systems, an acquittal is permanent. Because of protections against double jeopardy, prosecutors cannot try someone again for the same crime after an acquittal. This rule exists to prevent the government from repeatedly prosecuting people until it gets the verdict it wants. Once acquitted, always acquitted.