ACQUITTAL, a Discharge, Deliverance, or setting free of a Person from the Guilt or Suspicion of an Offence.The like Discharge in Civil Concerns, is called an Acquittance.See ACQUITTANCE.
Acquittal is of two Kinds; in Law, and in Fact.When two are appealed or indicted of Felony, one as Principal the other as Accessory; the Principal being discharged, the Accessory is by Consequence also freed: In which Case, as the Accessory is acquitted by Law, so is the Principal in Fact. See ACCESSORY.
Acquittal is also used, where there is a Lord Mesne, and Tenant, and the Tenant holds Lands of the Mesne, and the Mesne holds over of the Lord Paramount: Here, the Mesne ought to acquit the Tenant of all Services claimed by any other for the same Lands; the Tenant being to do Service to the Mesne only, and not to divers Lords for one Parcel of Land. See MESNE, and SERVICE.
ACQUITTAL
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- Written by: Ephraïm Chambers
- Category: Unclassified