Acquit the prisoner and empty the court (5)
I believe the answer is:
clear
This clue could be a double definition.
'acquit the prisoner' is the first definition.
'clear' can be an answer for 'acquit' (synonyms). I am unsure of the 'the prisoner' bit.
'empty the court' is the second definition.
'clear' can be an answer for 'empty' (I've seen this before). I am unsure of the 'the court' bit.
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for clear that I've seen before include "Obvious; jump over" , "Obvious; remove obstructions from" , "Lucid, transparent" , "Transparent, easy to see through" , "Make a profit - brighten up" .)