What is a potential outcome of a 'de novo' process?

The de novo process refers to a legal review of a case where the court re-examines the issues from the beginning, as if it were being heard for the first time. This means that all aspects of the case can be reconsidered, and the judge is not bound by the prior decision or evidence presented in the original judgment. As a result, a completely new judgment can be issued based on this fresh perspective and any additional evidence that may arise during the de novo review.

This ability to create a new judgment allows for corrections of mistakes made in the original trial and provides an opportunity for a more thorough evaluation of the issues involved. The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of a de novo process—original judgments are not necessarily upheld, cases are not typically sent back to the original trial without further consideration, and significant evidence is not disregarded, as the focus is on a comprehensive reassessment.