pretrial

pre·tri·al  (pr-trl, -trl)

n.

A proceeding held before an official trial, especially to clarify points of law and facts.

adj.

1. Of or relating to a pretrial.

2. Existing or occurring before a trial: pretrial imprisonment; pretrial hearings.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

pretrial - (law) a conference held before the trial begins to bring the parties together to outline discovery proceedings and to define the issues to be tried; more useful in civil than in criminal cases pretrial conference group discussion, conference - a discussion among participants who have an agreed (serious) topic law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"