To acquit means to find a defendant in a criminal case not guilty. The decision to exonerate the defendant may be made either by a jury or a judge after trial. A prosecutor must prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A decision to acquit means that the judge or jury had a reasonable doubt as to the defendant's guilt. It may be based on exculpatory evidence or a lack of evidence to prove guilt.
The following form is a complaint that adopts the "notice pleadings" format of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which have been adopted by most states in one form or another.
Keywords: District of Columbia, Motion for Judgment of Acquittal, charges, description, types Description: A Motion for Judgment of Acquittal of All Charges is a legal document filed in the District of Columbia courts, seeking a verdict of not guilty of all the charges brought against a defendant in a criminal case. This motion is based on the premise that the evidence presented by the prosecution is insufficient to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In the District of Columbia, there are different types of Motions for Judgment of Acquittal that can be filed, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. These include: 1. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal at the Close of the Prosecution's Case: This motion is filed by the defense after the prosecution has presented its case, including witnesses, testimonies, and evidence. The defense argues that the prosecution has failed to present sufficient evidence to support a conviction, therefore requesting the court to enter a judgment of acquittal and dismiss all charges against the defendant. 2. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal at the Close of All Evidence: This motion is filed by the defense after both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, and all evidence has been presented to the court. The defense argues that even considering all the evidence, no reasonable jury could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense requests the court to acquit the defendant of all charges. 3. Motion for Judgment of Acquittal Based on Insufficient Evidence: This motion is filed by the defense at any point during the trial, whenever the defense believes that the prosecution has failed to present sufficient evidence to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense argues that the evidence presented by the prosecution is weak or lacks credibility, and therefore seeks a judgment of acquittal. It is important to note that the granting of a Motion for Judgment of Acquittal is usually rare, as the courts tend to give deference to the judgment of the jury. However, if the court determines that the evidence is indeed insufficient to support a guilty verdict, it may grant the motion, leading to the defendant's acquittal of all charges. Such a judgment signifies that the defendant is cleared of all criminal liability and cannot be retried for the same charges.
