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Simple English definitions for legal terms
open verdict
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A quick definition of open verdict:
An open verdict is a decision made by a coroner's jury when they cannot determine the cause of death or the person responsible for it. This means that the question of whether a crime was committed or who committed it remains unanswered. It is different from other verdicts, such as guilty or not guilty, which provide a clear answer to the question of whether someone is responsible for a crime.A more thorough explanation:
An open verdict is a type of verdict given by a coroner's jury when they cannot determine the cause of death or the identity of the person responsible for the death. The verdict states that the person "came to his death by means to the jury unknown" or "came to his death at the hands of a person or persons to the jury unknown."
For example, if a person is found dead with no clear evidence of how they died or who caused their death, the coroner's jury may give an open verdict. This means that the case remains unsolved and the cause of death remains unknown.