Acquittal
An acquittal is a legal determination by a factfinder that a criminal defendant is not guilty. In jury trials, an acquittal is determined by a jury. In bench trials, an acquittal is determined by the judge. An acquittal is a final determination in a criminal case, and in the United States a person cannot be retried for the same offense following an acquittal.
An acquittal is not a finding of innocence, however. In a criminal case, the prosecution has the burden to prove each element of the charged crime beyond a reasonably doubt. If a factfinder acquits the accused, they may still be found liable in civil court where the burden of proof is much lower. It is long been the law that an acquittal does not prove a defendant's innocence. United States v. Lawing, 703 F.3d 229, 241 (4th Cir. 2012). Moreover, if a defendant is charged with multiple crimes, but acquitted on some, a federal judge may use acquitted conduct to calculate a sentence if the judge believes the prosecution proved the acquitted conduct under a lower standard than beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Watts, 519 U.S. 148, 149 (1997).