rehear

Rehear is a verb meaning to hear again or to reconsider a matter after a prior hearing. In ordinary usage, people would typically say “hear again” when referring to listening to something a second time; the form “rehear” is chiefly found in more formal or technical contexts.

In legal contexts, rehearing is a common procedure. A court or administrative agency may grant a motion for rehearing to reexamine a decision in light of new evidence, a misapplication of the law, or procedural errors. The noun form is rehearing, and the specific variant “rehearing en banc” describes a case being heard by all judges on an appellate court rather than by a smaller panel. A rehearing is distinct from an appeal: an appeal seeks review by a higher court on grounds of error, while a rehearing revisits the same case, potentially with additional arguments or information.

Usage notes and scope: The term is predominantly used in legal writing and proceedings. Outside of law, speakers typically prefer phrases such as “hear again” or “listen again.” Some jurisdictions also apply the concept to administrative bodies, not just courts. The grounds for granting a rehearing are often narrower than those for appeals and commonly require new evidence, a significant legal error, or other compelling reasons.

Related terms include rehearing en banc, retrial, appeal, and reconsideration. Etymology traces rehear to the prefix re- (again) plus hear.