Does 'Dismissed' Mean Not Guilty?

[ohiogirl21]

I was looking at my public record online to see if I had anything on it...and curiosity about a certain event in the past eventually lead to me looking up stuff on my mom. I found that she had been dismissed from two crimes. For the first one, it said "dismissed" but it also listed "1 count." For the other, it said dismissed, and didn't have a count for that one.

Does that mean that she wasn't found to be guilty for either crimes? What does "counts" mean?

Thank you.

[Mr. Knowitall]

Each charge is a "count". A single incident can result in muliple "counts" - e.g., driving without a license while you are drunk can result in "Count 1: DWLS; Count 2: DUI". If the record says "1 count", it probably means that there was only the singe count, but I can't interpret something I haven't seen.

[ohiogirl21]

Each charge is a "count". A single incident can result in muliple "counts" - e.g., driving without a license while you are drunk can result in "Count 1: DWLS; Count 2: DUI". If the record says "1 count", it probably means that there was only the singe count, but I can't interpret something I haven't seen.

but if it said dismissed, what does the "count" mean?

[Mr. Knowitall]

Each charge is a "count". A single incident can result in multiple "counts" - e.g., driving without a license while you are drunk can result in "Count 1: DWLS; Count 2: DUI".

[ohiogirl21]

Each charge is a "count". A single incident can result in multiple "counts" - e.g., driving without a license while you are drunk can result in "Count 1: DWLS; Count 2: DUI".

so she was guilty? then why was it dismissed? sorry, i'm confused

[Litigator]

Sounds like they did not bother to list exactly what comprised one of the counts but at any rate noted that it was dismissed. Generally speaking if a dismissal occurs the person has not been convicted--I do suppose there are rare circumstances where there is a finding of guilt and then a dismissal follows therafter--such as a setting aside of the guilty verdict based on insufficient proof.

[panther10758]

I was looking at my public record online to see if I had anything on it...and curiosity about a certain event in the past eventually lead to me looking up stuff on my mom. I found that she had been dismissed from two crimes. For the first one, it said "dismissed" but it also listed "1 count." For the other, it said dismissed, and didn't have a count for that one.

Does that mean that she wasn't found to be guilty for either crimes? What does "counts" mean?

Thank you.

While you were looking up your shoplifting conviction you found need to search your Mother's criminal background? Anyways the answer is simple ask your Mother!

[jk]

a dismissal does not mean not guilty. It means the charges have been dropped, at least for the moment. If they are dismissed with prejudice, it is definate and charges cannot be reinstated. If they are dismissed without prejudice, they can be reinstated if it is within the applicable satutes of limitations to press charges.

[US Citizen]

I agree with JK.

Just FYI, a guilty verdict doesn't mean the person committed the underlying act(s), and not guilty does mean the opposite. It merely means that a person was found beyond a reasonable doubt to have committed a crime, or not to have committed a crime. So, OJ's not guilty verdict didn't mean he didn't commit a murdeous act, only that the evidence wasn't sufficient to convict him of a crime.