Criminal Law
Conviction
A court's formal finding that the accused is guilty of the offence charged, following which sentencing takes place.
A conviction is recorded when the court, after weighing the evidence, is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence. It is followed by a separate hearing on sentencing, where the punishment is decided.
A convicted person retains the right to appeal to a higher court, and the sentence (and sometimes the conviction itself) can be suspended pending that appeal in appropriate cases.
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