Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: denizen
Innocent: When someone is innocent, it means they did not do something wrong or bad. They are not responsible for what happened or what they are accused of. Sometimes, they may not even know that something bad happened. During a trial, the person who is accused of a crime is considered innocent until it is proven that they did it.
Definition: Innocent means not guilty. It refers to a person who is not responsible for a crime or event they are accused of. It can also refer to a person who lacks knowledge of an important fact related to the event. An innocent person is someone who is acting in good faith and lacks knowledge of any wrongdoing.
For example, if someone is accused of stealing a car but they have an alibi and evidence that proves they were not at the scene of the crime, they are considered innocent. They did not commit the crime they were accused of.
During a trial, the person who is charged with a crime is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This means that the burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove that the person committed the crime. If they cannot prove it, the person is considered innocent.
Another example of innocence is a child who accidentally breaks a vase. They did not intend to break it and did not know that it was valuable. They are innocent of any wrongdoing because they lacked knowledge of the vase's value and did not intend to break it.
These examples illustrate how innocence is related to lack of knowledge or intent to commit a crime or wrongdoing. Innocence is important in the legal system because it protects people from being wrongly accused or punished for something they did not do.