The 2286 hearing at which the Federation Council dropped all but one charge against Kirk and his officers and reduced Kirk in rank from admiral to captain.
The hearing closes Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Kirk and his senior officers are charged with nine breaches of Starfleet regulations arising from the theft and destruction of the Enterprise in the previous film. Earlier the Klingon ambassador demands Kirk's extradition and warns the Council that there will be no peace while Kirk lives; Sarek speaks in his defence.
The crew are on their way home from exile on Vulcan to face judgement when the whale probe strikes Earth. After they save the planet, they stand before the Federation President in the council chamber, with Spock choosing to stand beside his shipmates.
In view of what they have done, every charge but one is dismissed. For disobeying a superior officer Kirk alone is reduced to captain, and is given what he most wants, command of a starship, the new Enterprise-A.