Verdict

What verdict means

Put simply, verdict is part of the working vocabulary of a civil case. The short definition above covers the usual meaning. Still, a specific rule, statute or contract can give it a narrower meaning. For that reason, check how it is used in your own documents.

Where verdict comes up

For example, the term appears in these procedures:

• Motion for a New Trial (Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(a)–(b)): a request that the court grant a new trial on all or some issues.

How to research the term

Start with the primary source. For example, if verdict appears in a federal rule, read the rule itself and its official notes. After that, check your court’s local rules and any standing orders from the judge. In addition, search recent decisions from your own state or federal district. They show how courts read verdict in practice. Because state rules often differ, our state procedures guide links to each state’s official rules. Above all, make sure the version you read is still in force.

You can read the official rule text online for free.

Related legal terms

• Vacate: to cancel or set aside a judgment or order.
• Venue: the particular court location — district or division — where a case is heard.
• Verified complaint: a complaint whose allegations are sworn to or declared true under penalty of perjury.
• Void judgment: a judgment entered without legal power to enter it. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(4) lists a void judgment as a ground for relief.

Why precise terms matter

Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.