Criminology Term: Affirmed
An affidavit is a written statement of fact that is made under oath or affirmation by the person making the statement. It is commonly used in criminal proceedings to provide evidence to the court.
The affidavit must be written in the first person, and the person making the statement must swear or affirm that the information contained in the affidavit is true to the best of their knowledge. The affidavit must also be signed by the person making the statement and may need to be notarized or witnessed by a legal authority to be considered valid.
An affirmative defense is a legal defense in which the defendant admits to committing the crime but argues that their actions were justified or lawful under certain circumstances.
Common affirmative defenses include self-defense, duress, necessity, and insanity. In order for an affirmative defense to be successful, the defendant must provide evidence to support their claim. If successful, the defendant may be found not guilty or may face reduced charges or a lesser sentence.
When an appeals court reviews a lower court's decision in a criminal case, they can either affirm the decision or reverse it. Affirming the decision means that the original ruling stands and the case is considered final.
This can occur when the appeals court determines that the lower court made the correct decision based on the evidence presented in the case or that any errors made during the trial were not significant enough to warrant a new trial or a reversal of the decision. The term 'affirmed' is often used in written court opinions to describe the outcome of an appeal.
