Of course, murder cases are not the only time mistrials occur. Bill Cosby faced an infamous mistrial in a case of sexual assault, and many other cases have ended the same way. By the end of a mistrial, many people might feel as if justice will never be served because the trial had no conclusion.

If the idea of a mistrial is confusing, keep reading. State and federal laws are clear about how mistrials work.

Some things happen outside the power of the defense or prosecution. The court may call a mistrial if an attorney or member of the jury has passed away during the trial.

Jury selection errors also lead to mistrial. Perhaps a juror was actually a relative or friend of the victim or defendant. Or maybe a juror participated in misconduct. For example, a juror may have researched the case at home in spite of jury instructions not to.

Finally, a mistrial happens when the jury is deadlocked at the trial's end. When the court requires a unanimous decision, this is a big problem.

You may wonder if a mistrial triggers the double jeopardy clause, which is where a person is on trial for the same offense. It does not. An individual can be tried for the same crime if the original court case did not result in a valid conclusion. This means the court can schedule another trial in the near future.

If the prosecution wishes to pursue the trial, the defendant may choose to accept a plea bargain. This may happen if the defendant believes he or she may be found guilty during the second trial.

For both sides, a retrial means that each knows the information the other will present. As a result, each side has a better opportunity to rebut. Few opportunities to spring a surprise on the other side are present at this point. Both parties have more time to support their cases.