HopefullyInLawSchool
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
arrest of judgment
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A quick definition of arrest of judgment:
Arrest of Judgment: When a court decides not to give a judgment or enforce a judgment because there is a problem with the case that is obvious from the court record. This can happen if the verdict is different from what was claimed in the case or if the case is not legally strong enough. In the past, this was called an "arrest of judgment" and could happen after the trial. Today, it is usually addressed before the trial or before the judgment is given.
A more thorough explanation:
Arrest of judgment is when a court stops a judgment from being enforced because of a problem that is visible in the court record. This can happen when the verdict is different from what was stated in the pleadings or when the case presented in the pleadings is not legally valid.
For example, if a person is charged with theft, but the evidence presented in court does not prove that they stole anything, the judge may arrest the judgment and refuse to enter a guilty verdict.
Arrest of judgment used to be more common in the past, but now it is usually necessary to object to any issues before the trial or judgment is entered. This means that the need for an arrest of judgment has decreased over time.