Acquittal and discharge from prosecution: the difference
A criminal case can end without a punishment for different reasons. Read what the court decided about each charge. Do not rely only on a short summary saying there was no sentence.
Duration: 1:35
Further reading and sources
This video summarises the main points. The full article provides more detail, exceptions and official sources. This information does not replace advice about your case.
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Download the transcriptCriminal Law in the Netherlands.
A criminal case can end without a punishment for different reasons. Read what the court decided about each charge. Do not rely only on a short summary saying there was no sentence.
An acquittal concerns the absence of legally sufficient and convincing proof of the charged fact. Ask your lawyer which part of the allegation the court found unproved.
With discharge from all prosecution, the fact can be proved while the act or the defendant is not punishable. The court's reasons matter. This is a different legal route from an acquittal.
Read the full outcome, including any measure, compensation issue or decision about seized property. The absence of a punishment does not automatically settle every other consequence.
Ask whether further proceedings are possible and which deadlines apply. Do not assume a news report or an oral summary contains everything needed to make that decision.
Save the judgment and any confirmation of its final status. Discuss what it means for detention, records or another procedure. One outcome does not automatically decide every separate legal question.
Read the full explanation on the Criminal Law in the Netherlands website.
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