Posthumous trial

A posthumous trial or post-mortem trial is a trial held after the defendant's death. Posthumous trials can be held for a variety of reasons, including the legal declaration that the defendant was the one who committed the crime, to provide justice for society of family members of the victims, or to exonerate a wrongfully convicted person after their death. Due to the heavy cost, they are usually held only under extraordinary circumstances.

Notable posthumous trials

• Cadaver Synod of Pope Formosus
• Pope Boniface VIII
• Francesco Maria Carafa, resulting in exoneration
• Retrial of Joan of Arc, overturned her earlier heresy conviction
• Sergei Magnitsky

See also

• Show trial