proceed to trial

USAGE SUMMARY

"proceed to trial" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use the phrase when referring to the process of bringing a legal case before a judge, jury, or other legal authority. Example: After months of preparation, both sides were ready to proceed to trial.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The case will now proceed to trial on narrower issues.

The New York Times

Instead, the judge allowed Berhe's case to proceed to trial.

The New Yorker

Both sides said Thursday that they still expect the case to proceed to trial.

The Washington Post

"This case shall proceed to trial," said O'Neill, who will be the judge in Cosby's trial.

The Guardian

The decision cannot be appealed and the suit will proceed to trial.

The New York Times

A federal court in Philadelphia ruled last year that the case could proceed to trial.

The New York Times

The judge's decision on whether to proceed to trial is pending.

The New York Times

Jeff Baskies, the president of Lawyers Weekly USA, said the case would now proceed to trial.

The New York Times - Sports

It is also the first universal jurisdiction case to proceed to trial in Africa.

The Guardian

The plaintiff should be permitted to proceed to trial on her strict products liability count.

Harvard University

After a police investigation, a judge decided that the case should not proceed to trial.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "proceed to trial" to indicate that a case has met the necessary conditions and is now moving forward to be heard in court. It is most appropriate when discussing legal proceedings or decisions.

Common error

Avoid using "proceed to trial" interchangeably with terms like "standing trial" or "facing trial". The former indicates a case is moving forward, while the latter refers to the defendant's experience during the trial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "proceed to trial" functions as a verb phrase indicating the progression of a legal case to the stage of a formal court hearing. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage in legal contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Academia

18%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "proceed to trial" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase indicating a case is moving forward in the legal system. Ludwig AI affirms its correct usage. Predominantly found in News & Media, Academia, and Science, it serves to inform about the advancement of a case to the trial phase. Alternative phrases include "go to trial" and "move to trial". When using this phrase, ensure it's appropriate for formal contexts and not confused with similar terms like "standing trial".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

go to trial

Focuses on the action of actually beginning the trial process, similar in meaning but slightly more direct.

move to trial

Emphasizes the progression towards the trial phase.

advance to trial

Highlights the forward movement of the case towards trial.

be brought to trial

Shifts the focus to the action of someone or something bringing the case to trial.

come to trial

Suggests the trial is an inevitable event that is approaching.

stand trial

Focuses on the defendant's experience of facing trial.

face trial

Similar to 'stand trial', emphasizing the defendant confronting the trial.

undergo trial

Highlights the experience of going through the trial process.

be tried

A more concise way of saying someone will have a trial.

have a trial

A more general statement that a trial will take place.

FAQs

What does it mean for a case to "proceed to trial"?

When a case "proceeds to trial", it means that a judge has determined there is sufficient evidence and legal basis for the case to be heard in court. All preliminary legal hurdles have been cleared, and the matter will now be presented before a judge or jury for a final decision.

When might a case not "proceed to trial"?

A case might not "proceed to trial" if there is insufficient evidence, if a settlement is reached between the parties, if the case is dismissed by the court, or if a plea bargain is agreed upon in criminal cases.

What are some alternatives to "proceed to trial"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "proceed to trial" include "go to trial", "move to trial", or "advance to trial". These phrases all convey the same general meaning of a case moving forward to be heard in court.

What happens after a case is cleared to "proceed to trial"?

Once a case is cleared to "proceed to trial", the parties will engage in pre-trial activities such as discovery (gathering evidence), motions (requests to the court), and witness preparation. Then, the actual trial will take place, where evidence is presented and legal arguments are made.