retrial
Britishnoun
Explanation
In law, a retrial is a new trial for a case that's already been tried, or that's had its trial halted because of a hung jury or another disqualifying reason. An attorney can file for a retrial if she believes there's been some kind of misconduct or bias on the part of the jury, or if she discovers that a judge has some conflict of interest. If a defendant is found guilty during a trial, she can continue to request retrials for reasons like newly discovered evidence. In the United States, when someone is tried and found to be innocent, the Fifth Amendment does not allow a retrial.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After a retrial, another jury said last week it was deadlocked.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
The state Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, tossed out Murdaugh's murder conviction and ordered a retrial.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
The prosecution said it would not be seeking a retrial.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
The jury reached its verdicts after more than 14 hours of deliberations, following a retrial triggered by the first jury failing to reach verdicts on all counts.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
A retrial was requested, but Ray, seventy, died of liver failure on April 23, 1998, before the new trial could take place.5 After King’s assassination, I worried that the Civil Rights dream might end.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
