acquittal
Definition
A formal declaration by a court that a person accused of a crime is not guilty of the charge.
The act of being cleared of a charge, often specifically implying the technical failure of the prosecution to meet the burden of proof rather than a finding of factual innocence.
Examples
He was so relieved by his acquittal that he immediately went home to celebrate, blissfully ignoring the fact that his lawyer's bill now exceeds the national debt of a small island nation.
After the acquittal, the defendant smiled at the jury with the kind of sincerity usually reserved for telemarketers promising a free cruise.
She treated her acquittal as a miraculous sign of divine intervention, despite the evidence having been conveniently misplaced by a 'mischievous' intern.