remand

To remand something means to send it back, or to return. The usual contexts in which this word are encountered are in the reversal of an appellate decision, and regarding the custody of a prisoner.

  • A prisoner is said to be remanded when they are sent back into custody to await trial.
  • When an appellate court reverses the decision of a lower court, the written decision often contains an instruction to remand the case to the lower court to be reconsidered in light of the appellate court’s ruling.
  • Cases can be remanded to federal agencies for reconsideration in disputes over regulations or administrative decisions.

See INS v. Ventura.

[Last updated in June of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]