ABSOLUTION, in civil law, is a sentence whereby the party accused is declared innocent of the crime laid to his charge.—Among the Romans, the ordinary method of pronouncing judgment was this: after the cause
had been pleaded on both sides, the præco used the word dixerunt, q. d. they have said what they had to say; then three ballots were distributed to each judge, marked as mentioned under the article A; and as the majority fell of either mark, the accused was absolved or condemned, &c. If he were absolved, the prætor dismissed him with videtur non fecisse, or jure videtur fecisse.