case dismissed
Trial abruptly ends
Case dismissed is a legal ruling ending a court case, typically because the plaintiff lacks sufficient evidence or grounds to proceed.
Outside courtrooms, it's used to shut down an argument or topic decisively: I already told you no—case dismissed.
The phrase carries finality, as if a judge has spoken.
- acquittedDeclared legally innocent
- not guiltyCleared of charges
- verdictOfficial court decision
- reasonable doubtLegal uncertainty requiring acquittal
- beyond reasonable doubtStandard for criminal conviction
judge · gavel · courtroom · court order · not proven · charges dropped · freedom · relief · free to go · innocent · thrown out · lack of evidence · prosecution · defense · lawyer · ruling · justice · cleared
- courtroomjudge, jury, oath taking, lawyer, bench
- courtroom expressionsobjection, sustained, overruled, all rise, guilty
- acquittalsnot guilty, exoneration, cleared, innocence, vindication
- courtroom dramaobjection, surprise witness, hostile witness, mistrial, confession
- legal termstrial, legal, appeal, lawsuit, law
- expulsionsejection, ousting, expelling, forcing out, eviction
legal outcome
case dismissedguilty verdict
Court's culpability determination
conviction · found guilty · guilty · convicted · sentenced
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