Legal Definitions - ampliation

Ampliation, in the context of civil law, refers to the act of extending or postponing the final decision or judgment in a legal case. It essentially means delaying the issuance of a ruling beyond its initially anticipated timeframe, often to allow for further consideration or the introduction of new information.

• Example 1: Complex Evidence Review

  Imagine a judge presiding over a highly intricate environmental liability case. After hearing extensive testimony from numerous scientific experts and reviewing thousands of pages of technical reports, the judge informs the parties that she requires an additional three weeks to thoroughly analyze all the evidence before delivering her final verdict. This extension of time before the decision is rendered is an act of ampliation, allowing for a more comprehensive and informed judgment.

• Example 2: Introduction of New Critical Information

  Consider a civil lawsuit regarding a disputed property boundary. Just as the court is preparing to issue its final ruling, a previously undiscovered historical deed, crucial to clarifying the original property lines, is presented and admitted as evidence. The judge decides to postpone the final judgment to allow both legal teams to review and present arguments based on this significant new document. This delay in the decision-making process due to new information constitutes an ampliation.

• Example 3: Appellate Court Remand for Further Proceedings

  In a commercial dispute, a lower court issues a judgment. One of the parties appeals the decision to a higher court. The appellate court, after reviewing the case, determines that the lower court did not adequately consider certain financial documents and sends the case back, or "remands" it, to the original court for further hearings and a revised decision. By sending the case back for more proceedings rather than issuing a final ruling itself, the appellate court has effectively caused an ampliation, postponing the ultimate resolution of the dispute.