What is the difference between a conviction and a discharge?
Ontario, Canada
The following excerpt is from R. v Zhou, 2016 ONSC 3233 (CanLII):
This is not just an exercise in semantics. It is true that we are discussing the label to be attached to the sentence. One might ask: What’s in a name? A term of jail, by any other name, is as restrictive of liberty. But the labels at issue – conviction v. discharge - carry great significance. It is important that these concepts be accurately described. If nothing else, it is important to maintain the integrity of the discharge, lest misuse of the concept reduce its mitigating value.
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