Legal Definitions - conviction

A conviction, in the legal sense, is the formal determination by a court that a person is guilty of a crime. This determination can result from a jury's verdict, a judge's ruling in a trial without a jury, or a defendant's own admission of guilt through a guilty plea.

• Imagine a case where a person is accused of grand theft auto. After a full trial, the jury reviews all the evidence and testimony presented by both the prosecution and the defense. If the jury decides that the prosecution has proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, they will return a guilty verdict. When the judge formally accepts this verdict and enters it into the court record, it establishes a conviction against the defendant for grand theft auto.

• Consider a situation where someone is charged with driving under the influence (DUI). Rather than proceeding to a full trial, the defendant decides to admit responsibility and enters a guilty plea before the court. Once the judge accepts this plea, it legally establishes the defendant's guilt, leading to a conviction for DUI.