Need Verdicts Come in Pairs?

Given the high standard of proof that operates in criminal cases, the meaning of an acquittal is highly ambiguous. This disadvantages the genuinely innocent defendant and also citizens who are unsure of the significance of any given ‘Not Guilty’ verdict. The finders of fact may have taken any one of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of evidence & proof 2010-01, Vol.14 (1), p.1-24
Main Author: Laudan, Larry
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Given the high standard of proof that operates in criminal cases, the meaning of an acquittal is highly ambiguous. This disadvantages the genuinely innocent defendant and also citizens who are unsure of the significance of any given ‘Not Guilty’ verdict. The finders of fact may have taken any one of a wide range of views in relation to the defendant's guilt, and it is argued that the two extremes of acquittal and conviction take insufficient account of this.
ISSN:1365-7127
1740-5572
DOI:10.1350/ijep.2010.14.1.338