autrefois acquit

Autrefois acquit is a plea (in the same sense as "not guilty" or "guilty") whereby the principles of estoppel are in the criminal law to prevent more than one prosecution of an accused for a crime for which they have been acquitted.

The defence is founded upon the principle that no person may be tried for the same offence more than once. There must have been an acquittal on the merits for the principle to operate. It is available when the facts or evidence required to support a second charge would have supported a conviction on the first charge. The term contrasts with autrefois convict.

Usage: The prisoner entered a plea of autrefois acqit during the arraignment.

Related Words: autrefois convict; res judicata.