Law Dictionary of Legal Terminology

SEPARATE TRIAL

SEPARATE TRIAL, practice. The trial of one person by himself, when he is jointly indicted with others for an alleged offence.

2. On a joint indictment against two or more defendants for a crime of misdemeanor, it is in the discretion of the court whether to allow a separate trial for each prisoner, or to order the whole of them to be tried together. 1 Baldw. Rep. 81; 12 Wheat. 480; 5 Serg. & Rawle, 60; but see 1 Pet., C. C. Rep. 118.