manifest necessity
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 400 U.S. 470 - United States v. Jorn · 1971Most cited · 4,213 citing opinions
the standard governing a trial judge's power to discharge a jury without defendant's consent: courts have 'authority to discharge a jury from giving any verdict, whenever, in their opinion, taking all the circumstances into consideration, there is a manifest necessity for the act, or the ends of public justice would otherwise be defeated'; the power 'ought to be used with the greatest caution, under urgent circumstances, and for very plain and obvious causes