charged vs convicted may be confusing to some. These are two different things that have different meanings when it comes to being arrested and moving through court hearings.
The difference between being charged vs convicted is as follows. Being charged is when the police or prosecutor has formally being charged someone with a crime. Convicted means that the person either pleaded guilty to the crime or was found guilty in a court of law.
The document which is also called a charging document contains the criminal charge or charges. They can be the following types of forms:
- Traffic ticket
- Information
- Indictment
- Complaint
- Citation
The document with the charges on it is what almost starts off a criminal case in the court systems. However, depending on what state your in the process by which somebody is charged with a said crime can differ and vary. In the United States, a person is innocent until proven guilty. The charges must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Charged meaning
Charged like states before is that someone gets arrested and is charged with a crime but not yet convicted of the charges. Being charged with a crime is different than being convicted. Someone can be charged with a crime but when the trial starts they are not found guilty and convection is not had.
Convection meaning
To be declared or proven guilty after a trial. This is what convection means in its simplest form. The below will outline from start to finish how convection could take place. Keep in mind this is a very basic flow of how convection could happen.
Step one: Being charged and arrested for a potential crime
You get arrested. The process starts at this point with being charged with a crime. Let’s say John was arrested for stealing. He is arrested and brought to the station for processing.
Step two: Evidence is looked at in the case
John makes bail and has a trial date set for one month from today. Evidence in the case is looked at to see if there is a shadow of a doubt that john stole the items.
Within the United States you are innocent until proven guilty. This is not always the case around the world.
Step three: The case goes to trial
Scenario 1: The case goes to trial. John does not plead guilty and fights the case. The evidence in the case shows that John did not commit the crime and he is subsequently released and a conviction does not happen.
Scenario 2: John pleads guilty to the charges and he is convicted of stealing. He will face punishment for his actions.
Scenario 3: John fights the charges and is convicted at court. He is charged with the crime and will face punishment.
Step four: If convicted the person could face jail time or other forms of punishment.
Depending on the crime john could face prison time, fines, house arrest, community service, or the likes. This will depend on the severity of the crime and the history of criminal activity john has.
As you can see above being charged is not the same as being convicted. You might even be asked by a new employer during the process if you have ever been convicted in a case? This is different than just being arrested and charged. The main difference between charged vs convected are:
- A charge is the start of proceedings against a person within a court of law
- Conviction is the verdict brought against a person within the court of law who has been charged with a crime
- Being charged is not the same thing as convicted because that person may not be found guilty of the charges brought upon them.
Look for professional help if you get arrested?
If you are going through the process of court because you were arrested we would suggest you enlist the help of a professional attorney that specializes in criminal cases. A professional can help you navigate the court system and possibly reduce or eliminate jail time altogether. A court system is a complex place and without the proper help, you could find yourself in a bad spot.
Remember to always follow the law and never put yourself in a predicament that could get you arrested, charged, or convicted of a crime. It can cost you years of your life and anguish to family and friends.
There is a difference between charged vs convicted. Someone can be charged with a crime but never get convicted. Find out more.
