Legal Term: HEARING

Definition: chwncery 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 plaintiffs leading counsel states the plaintiffs case, and the points in issue, and submits to the court his arguments upon them. Then the depositions (if any) of the plaintiffs witnesses, and such parts of the defendants answer as support the plaintiffs case are read by the plaintiffs solicitor; after which the rest of the plaintiffs counsel address the court; then the same course of proceedings is observed on the other side, excepting that no part of the defendants 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.

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