mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l 

: a trial that has no legal effect with regard to one or more of the charges brought against the defendant because of some serious error or prejudicial misconduct in the proceedings or a hung jury

Examples of mistrial in a Sentence

The judge declared a mistrial.

Recent Examples on the Web

She was charged with his murder; her 2024 trial ended in a mistrial. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025

Read’s case ended in a mistrial with a deadlocked jury last July and charges were quickly refiled. —David Matthews, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2025

After a mistrial in 2007, Spector was retried and convicted in 2009 of second-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a crime. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025

The first trial, which had separate juries for each brother, ended in mistrials. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mistrial

• denial
• posttrial
• pretrial
• retrial
• dial
• rial
• thiol
• trial
• vial
• sensorial
• supervisorial

Kids Definition

mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī(-ə)l 

: a trial that is cancelled because of an error in the proceedings

Legal Definition

mistrial

noun

mis·​tri·​al ˈmis-ˌtrī-əl 

: a trial that terminates without a verdict because of error, necessity, prejudicial misconduct, or a hung jury see also manifest necessity compare dismissal sense 2, trial de novo