English Reference

Word

retrial

Phoneticsre·tri·al

US/ɹiˈtɹaɪəɫ/

UK/ɹˈiːtɹaɪəl/

Definition

n. a second court trial for a case that has already been decided. This happens when a mistake is found in the first trial or if new evidence comes to light.

n. a subsequent trial of a case after a previous verdict has been overturned or set aside. Often occurs due to procedural errors, newly discovered evidence, or a successful appeal.

Examples

“The judge ordered a retrial after the jury reached a deadlocked verdict.”

“Following the discovery of new forensic evidence, the defense attorney requested a retrial to ensure a fair assessment of the facts.”

“The appellate court granted a retrial, citing that the original defense counsel had failed to present a critical piece of evidence that could have significantly altered the jury's perception of the defendant's intent.”

Examples

simple

“The judge ordered a retrial after the jury reached a deadlocked verdict.”

contextual

“Following the discovery of new forensic evidence, the defense attorney requested a retrial to ensure a fair assessment of the facts.”

complex

“The appellate court granted a retrial, citing that the original defense counsel had failed to present a critical piece of evidence that could have significantly altered the jury's perception of the defendant's intent.”

Real-World Examples

“A second jury found Weinstein guilty again at a retrial last year.”
Al Jazeera · 23 Sept 2026
“After testifying in the retrial last year, Haley told the BBC she felt compelled to take the stand.”
BBC News · 23 Sept 2026
“Other cases the defence pointed to in which jury errors resulted in retrials all had evidence of actual contact, he noted.”
BBC News · 22 Aug 2026

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/retrial

English Reference