"Not Proven" Not in OED

[Shapiro, Fred]

An important legal term that appears not to be included in OED is "not proven," the so-called "Scotch verdict."  Black's Law Dictionary defines it as "An archaic jury verdict -- now used only in Scots criminal law -- equivalent in result to not guilty, but carrying with it a strong suspicion of guilt not fully proved.  -- Also termed _Scotch verdict_."  I also don't see an entry for the term "Scotch verdict" in OED.

Fred Shapiro

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org