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
During Read's first trial in 2024, a deadlocked jury led to a mistrial.
—
Matt Schooley, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Jackson declared a mistrial on the case.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
The trial of a 70-year-old Garden Grove man, who while out on an afternoon jog filmed himself shooting and killing a homeless man, ended in a mistrial after an Orange County Superior Court jury was unable to reach a verdict.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
In June 2022, Knight also stood trial in that wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by Carter’s family, which ended in a mistrial when jurors couldn’t meet the nine votes needed to declare a verdict, according to CBS News.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistrial
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Matt Schooley, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Jackson declared a mistrial on the case.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
The trial of a 70-year-old Garden Grove man, who while out on an afternoon jog filmed himself shooting and killing a homeless man, ended in a mistrial after an Orange County Superior Court jury was unable to reach a verdict.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
In June 2022, Knight also stood trial in that wrongful death civil lawsuit filed by Carter’s family, which ended in a mistrial when jurors couldn’t meet the nine votes needed to declare a verdict, according to CBS News.
—Makena Gera, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mistrial
Cite this Entry
“Mistrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistrial. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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