Suspect Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Suspect.

Suspect (Noun & Verb)

Noun: A person who is believed to be potentially guilty of a crime or offence, but has not yet been proven guilty.

Example: The police identified the man as a suspect in the robbery case.

Verb: The act of suspecting that someone may have been involved in a crime or unwanted action.

Example: The officer suspects him of stealing the car.

For both uses, this term does not express any indication of legal guilt and only refers to a presumption or belief.