Courts and procedure
Judgment
Also called final judgment or decree
The court's official decision that finally resolves the dispute between the parties.[1]
In more detail
In a divorce, the judgment ends the marriage and includes the orders on property, support and children; California's courts note that a written agreement is turned in with the final forms so the judge can sign the judgment.[2] A court can also make a mediated agreement into an order.[3]
Varies by state
This is the federal courts' definition; state courts use the word the same way, though procedures differ by state. Find your state’s rules.
Related terms
- Default judgmentA judgment entered for the side that filed the case because the other side didn't answer or appear.
- Consent orderA court order that records terms the parties agreed to.
- AppealA request by a party that lost on one or more issues asking a higher court to review whether the decision was correct.
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Sources
The official documents this definition is based on, with the date we last read each one. Definitions are in our own words.
General information, not legal advice. MediationList is not a law firm. Spotted an error? Tell us.
Cite this page
MediationList. (2026, October 28). Judgment: Definition. https://mediationlist.com/glossary/judgment/
APA 7th ed. A retrieval date is included only for pages whose content changes, such as maps, data and tools.