Mistrial

An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again with the selection of a new jury.

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Answers.com

A trial that becomes invalid because of basic prejudicial error in procedure.

An inconclusive trial, as one in which the jurors fail to agree on a verdict.

Duhaime Legal Dictionary

A partial or complete trial which is found to be null and void and of no effect because of some irregularity.

The sudden end of trial before it would ordinarily end because of some reason which invalidates it.

Once a mistrial is declared, the situation is as if the trial had never occurred.

Some common reasons for a mistrial include a deadlocked jury, the death of a juror or a serious procedural and prejudicial mistake made at the trial which cannot be corrected.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In law, a trial that has been terminated and declared void before the tribunal can hand down a decision or render a verdict. The termination of a trial prematurely nullifies the preceding proceedings as if they had not taken place. Therefore, should another trial on the same charges, with the same defendants, be ordered, that trial would start from the beginning, with the previous testimony or other findings not necessarily relevant in the new court proceedings.

There are several factors that can result in a mistrial, including the death of an attorney or juror (if the latter is not replaceable by an alternate); a remark that would be highly prejudicial to a party and that the judge may feel cannot, in spite of instructions, be ignored by the jury; or the discovery that members of the jury had discussed the case contrary to court instructions or that a sequestered jury was able to read or hear newspaper or other media reports of the trial. Most often, a mistrial may be declared if the jury itself cannot arrive at a verdict after repeated attempts (i.e., if it is a hung jury).

Law.com Dictionary

n. the termination of a trial before its normal conclusion because of a procedural error, statements by a witness, judge or attorney which prejudice a jury, a deadlock by a jury without reaching a verdict after lengthy deliberation (a "hung" jury), or the failure to complete a trial within the time set by the court. When such situations arise, the judge, either on his own initiative or upon the motion (request) of one of the parties will "declare a mistrial," dismiss the jury if there is one and direct that the lawsuit or criminal prosecution be set for trial again, starting from the beginning.

Lect Law Library

MISTRIAL - An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again from the selection of the jury.

An erroneous trial on account of some defect in the persons trying, such as if the jury come from the wrong county or because there was no issue formed, as if no plea be entered; or some other defect of jurisdiction.

Legal-Dictionary.org

A trial that ends due to an error or misconduct, instead of a legal resolution, and is considered null. Ending a trial because of either an inability to continue, or because continuing would not be fair to one side.

Merriam Webster

A trial that has no legal effect by reason of some error or serious prejudicial misconduct in the proceedings.

The Free (Legal) Dictionary

A courtroom trial that has been terminated prior to its normal conclusion. A mistrial has no legal effect and is considered an invalid or nugatory trial. It differs from a "new trial," which recognizes that a trial was completed but was set aside so that the issues could be tried again.

A judge may declare a mistrial for several reasons, including lack of jurisdiction, incorrect jury selection, or a deadlocked, or hung, jury. A deadlocked jury—where the jurors cannot agree over the defendant's guilt or innocence—is a common reason for declaring a mistrial. Extraordinary circumstances, such as death or illness of a necessary juror or an attorney, may also result in a mistrial. A mistrial may also result from a fundamental error so prejudicial to the defendant that it cannot be cured by appropriate instructions to the jury, such as improper remarks made during the prosecution's summation.