What does remanded mean?
Remanded is the past tense and past participle of remand, a formal legal verb meaning to send someone back into custody or detention, usually while awaiting trial or a further hearing. In United States appellate practice, a higher court may also remand a case to a lower court, often directing it to reconsider an issue or correct an error. The word therefore suggests both a person’s return to detention and a case’s return for further legal work. Its force is primarily procedural: the term identifies custody or jurisdiction rather than announcing a final conviction or sentence. “Remanded to custody” is especially associated with the period before trial, when a judge determines that detention is appropriate. Although the expression is technical, it is frequently encountered in court reporting, legal documents, and news coverage, making it useful to recognize its principal legal senses.
verbRemanded is the past tense and past participle of remand. It means to send a person back into custody or detention, or to return a case to the court or authority from which it came.
- To send an accused person back into custody or detention, typically while awaiting trial or a further hearing.
- To return a case to a lower court or other originating authority, often with instructions to address an issue or take further action.
- To send a matter, request, or document back to another office or authority for reconsideration or further processing.
"The court remanded the defendant to custody pending trial."
"The court remanded the defendant to custody pending trial."
"After the hearing, the appellate court remanded the case to the trial judge for further findings."
Remanded has a double legal life: it can send a person back to detention or send a case back to a lower court for more work.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does remanded come from?
Remanded comes from remand, which English borrowed from French remander, ultimately from Latin remandare, a verb meaning “to send back” or “to order back.” The Latin word combined re-, meaning “back,” with mandare, meaning “to order.” Related English words such as command, mandate, commend, and countermand also descend from the Latin root mandare.
Related word forms
How remanded is actually used
This is formal legal language. In British usage, remand commonly refers to detention pending trial, while in United States appellate practice it often means returning a case to a lower court. The word describes a procedural action and does not itself establish guilt or constitute a final conviction.
Easily confused with remanded
Reminded means recalled or prompted someone to remember something, whereas remanded means sent back to custody or returned to a lower court.