Your Guide to Court Decisions

A court decision is a resolution or a verdict in a court case. When a decision is reached, assuming there is no appeal, the defendant will learn his or her fate in regards to imprisonment for serious issues, or payments for civil cases.

The court decision will vary in terms of process and length depending on the complexity of the case and the severity of the act committed. For instance, in a criminal case, where the subject matter is multi-layered and requires an in-depth review of all the facts pertinent to the case, the court decision will take longer than a civil case.

In a criminal case the decision is referred to as a verdict. It is a formal finding of fact accumulated by a jury after a sound review of all the intricacies associated with the case. In a criminal case, the verdict or court decision will either be a "guilty" or "not guilty" ruling.

A court decision that yields a "guilty" ruling is typically followed by a judgment of conviction that is handed down by the judge, which in turn is followed by a sentencing. The court decision in a criminal case is essentially a resolution that stems from the jury answering the question submitted by the judge concerning the case in question.

A court decision in a civil case is typically offered following a quick review of the facts and an observation by the judge of the competing sides in the case, witness statements, and whatever evidence is available. Upon review, the court decision is made solely by the judge and the decision is typically in the form of a monetary settlement or financial agreement of some sort.

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