hearings
n. countablen. official meetings where people listen to facts about a problem or a crime. These usually happen in a court or in front of a government group before a decision is made.
n. formal proceedings where evidence or testimony is presented to a court, legislative body, or official commission. Often used in the plural to describe a series of sessions investigating a specific issue.
The committee will hold public hearings next week.
After several months of private investigation, the senate opened public hearings to address the safety concerns raised by whistleblowers.
The regulatory body scheduled a series of evidentiary hearings to determine whether the proposed merger would violate existing antitrust laws or harm consumer interests.
Commonly used in the plural when referring to a series of sessions or a general investigative process.