hand down a decision
idiom
of a court
: to officially decide a case by vote
On Friday, the Supreme Court handed down a decision upholding the new law.
The Court of Appeals handed down a 4–2 decision in favor of the new law.
Examples of hand down a decision in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The court is expected to hand down a decision next year.
—
ABC News, 5 Oct. 2022
The court is expected to hand down a decision about a 15-week ban in Mississippi in June.
—Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 May 2022
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision in the case by the end of June.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2021
Any day now, the Supreme Court will hand down a decision that could change the future of Western art — and, in a sense, its history, too.
—Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision in June.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2022
Within days, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision that could severely limit the federal government’s authority to reduce carbon dioxide from power plants — pollution that is dangerously heating the planet.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2022
The league could hand down a decision in the next couple of weeks, and then Watson will likely appeal.
—cleveland, 19 June 2022
The court will hand down a decision in the case by late June.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2022
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ABC News, 5 Oct. 2022
The court is expected to hand down a decision about a 15-week ban in Mississippi in June.
—Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 May 2022
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision in the case by the end of June.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2021
Any day now, the Supreme Court will hand down a decision that could change the future of Western art — and, in a sense, its history, too.
—Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision in June.
—Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2022
Within days, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision that could severely limit the federal government’s authority to reduce carbon dioxide from power plants — pollution that is dangerously heating the planet.
—BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2022
The league could hand down a decision in the next couple of weeks, and then Watson will likely appeal.
—cleveland, 19 June 2022
The court will hand down a decision in the case by late June.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Hand down a decision.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand%20down%20a%20decision. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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