hung jury: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Legal, formal, journalistic. Metaphorical use appears in business/political commentary.
Quick answer
What does “hung jury” mean?
A jury that cannot agree on a unanimous verdict after extended deliberation, resulting in a mistrial.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A jury that cannot agree on a unanimous verdict after extended deliberation, resulting in a mistrial.
A state of deadlock or unresolved disagreement within a decision-making body, metaphorically extended to any group that fails to reach a conclusive decision.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Term is common in both, but the frequency of hung juries is higher in jurisdictions requiring unanimous verdicts (e.g., US federal, some UK serious criminal cases). Scotland uses 'not proven' verdict, reducing hung jury frequency.
Connotations
Negative in legal context (waste of resources, trauma for parties). In metaphorical use, implies frustrating indecision.
Frequency
More frequent in American media due to high-profile criminal trials and the constitutional requirement for unanimous verdicts in federal cases.
Grammar
How to Use “hung jury” in a Sentence
[jury] hung on [charge/count][trial] ended with a hung jury[judge] declared a hung juryVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hung jury” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The judge had no choice but to discharge the hung jury after three weeks of deliberation.
- A hung jury is always a possibility in complex fraud cases.
American English
- The prosecution vowed to retry the case following the hung jury.
- A single holdout can lead to a hung jury in the federal system.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor: 'The board was a hung jury on the merger, so the vote was postponed.'
Academic
Analysing the sociological factors that contribute to hung juries in high-profile cases.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation unless discussing news about a trial. 'Did you hear? The trial ended in a hung jury.'
Technical
A mistrial declared by the judge after the jury reports it is irreconcilably deadlocked.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hung jury”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hung jury”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hung jury”
- Using 'hung' as a verb in this context (e.g., 'The jury hung' is correct but informal/elliptical). Confusing with 'hanged' (execution). Using for non-unanimous verdict systems where it doesn't apply.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It means no verdict was reached. The defendant is not acquitted and can be retried.
Yes, judges often give a 'Allen charge' or 'dynamite charge' urging deadlocked juries to re-examine their views, but cannot force a verdict.
Statistically more common in the US due to the widespread requirement for unanimous verdicts in criminal cases. Many UK trials allow majority verdicts after a period, preventing deadlock.
A hung jury is a *cause*; a mistrial is the *legal result*. A mistrial can be declared for other reasons (e.g., procedural error, juror misconduct).
A jury that cannot agree on a unanimous verdict after extended deliberation, resulting in a mistrial.
Hung jury is usually legal, formal, journalistic. metaphorical use appears in business/political commentary. in register.
Hung jury: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhʌŋ ˈdʒʊə.ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhʌŋ ˈdʒʊr.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The jury is hung.”
- “It was a hung jury, so they'll have to retry the case.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a picture frame HUNG on the wall, stuck and unmoving. A HUNG jury is stuck and cannot move to a decision.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECISION-MAKING IS REACHING A DESTINATION; A HUNG JURY IS BEING STUCK/LOST ON THE WAY.
Practice
Quiz
What is the direct legal consequence of a hung jury?