Hearing
| n. | 1. | The act or power of perceiving sound; perception of sound; the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived; |
| 2. | Attention to what is delivered; opportunity to be heard; audience; | |
| 3. | A listening to facts and evidence, for the sake of adjudication; a session of a court for considering proofs and determining issues. | |
| 4. | Extent within which sound may be heard; sound; earshot. |
| Noun | 1. | hearing - (law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence |
| 2. | hearing - an opportunity to state your case and be heard; "they condemned him without a hearing"; "he saw that he had lost his audience" Synonyms: audience | |
| 3. | hearing - the range within which a voice can be heard; "the children were told to stay within earshot" | |
| 4. |  hearing - the act of hearing attentively; "you can learn a lot by just listening"; "they make good music--you should give them a hearing"Synonyms: listening | |
| 5. | hearing - a session (of a committee or grand jury) in which witnesses are called and testimony is taken; "the investigative committee will hold hearings in Chicago" | |
| 6. |  hearing - the ability to hear; the auditory faculty; "his hearing was impaired" | |
| Adj. | 1. | hearing - able to perceive sound Antonyms: deaf - lacking or deprive of the sense of hearing wholly or in part |
HEARING, chancery practice. The term, hearing is given to the trial of a
chancery suit.
2. The hearing is conducted as follows. When the cause is called on in
court, the pleadings on each side are opened in a brief manner to the court
by the junior counsel for the plaintiff; after which the plaintiff's leading
counsel states the plaintiff's case, and the points in issue, and submits to
the court his arguments upon them. Then the depositions (if any) of the
plaintiff's witnesses, and such parts of the defendant's answer as support
the plaintiff's case are read by the plaintiff's solicitor; after which the
rest of the plaintiff's counsel address the court; then the same course of
proceedings is observed on the other side, excepting that no part of the
defendant's answer can be read in his favor, if it be replied to; the
leading counsel for the plaintiff is then heard in reply; after which the
court pronounces the decree, Newl. Pr. 153, 4; 14 Vin. Ab. 233; Com. Dig.
Chancery, T. 1, 2, 3.
HEARING, crim. law. The examination of a prisoner charged with a crime or
misdemeanor, and of the witnesses for the accuser.
2. The magistrate should examine with care all the witnesses for the
prosecution, or so many of them as will satisfy his mind that there is
sufficient ground to believe the prisoner guilty, and that the case ought to
be examined in court and the prisoner ought to be tried. If, after the
hearing of all such witnesses, the offence charged is not made out, or, if
made out, the matter charged is not criminal, the magistrate is bound to
discharge the prisoner.
3. When the magistrate cannot for want of time, or on account of the
absence of a witness, close the hearing at one sitting, he may adjourn the
case to another day, and, in bailable offences, either take bail from the
prisoner for his appearance on that day, or commit him for a further
hearing. See Further hearing.
4. After a final hearing, unless the magistrate discharge the prisoner,
it is his duty to take bail in bailable offences, and he is the sole judge
of the amount of bail to be demanded this, however, must not be excessive.
He is the sole judge, also, whether the offence be bailable or not. When the
defendant can give the bail required, he must be discharged; when not, he
must be committed to the county prison, to take his trial, or to be
otherwise disposed of according, to law. See 1 Chit. Cr. Law, 72, ch. 2.