mistrial
UK[ˌmɪsˈtraɪəl]US[ˌmɪsˈtraɪəl]
n
A trial that is ended and declared invalid by the judge because of a serious procedural error or other problem that makes a fair verdict impossible.
n
A trial in which the jury cannot agree on a verdict.
Morpheme Breakdown
mis
trial
mis
bad/wrong
trial
legal examination
Etymology
The word 'mistrial' is a transparent compound formed within the English legal lexicon. The prefix 'mis-', with its ancient Germanic roots conveying error or fault, was attached to the noun 'trial', which entered English via Anglo-French from the Latin verb triare, meaning "to sift" or "to try." The literal construction, "a wrong trial," perfectly encapsulates its modern legal meaning. It specifically denotes a trial process that has been fatally flawed from its outset or derailed during its course, rendering its outcome legally void. This term highlights the procedural integrity required in justice systems, where a fundamental error necessitates a complete reset of the judicial process.
Analysis
Structure: mis (bad/wrong) + trial (legal examination)
mis: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English mis-), meaning "badly," "wrongly," or "ill." It functions to negate or reverse the action of the base word.
trial: A noun of Anglo-French and Latin origin (Anglo-French trial, from trier 'to try'), referring to the formal examination of evidence in a court of law to decide a case.
Examples
The judge declared a mistrial after it was revealed a juror had conducted independent research on the case.
A mistrial was avoided when the prosecution and defense agreed to dismiss the tainted evidence.
The case ended in a mistrial because the jury remained hopelessly deadlocked after two weeks of deliberation.