judicial

adjective ju·di·cial \ jü-ˈdi-shəl \

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Definition of judicial

1 a : of or relating to a judgment, the function of judging, the administration of justice, or the judiciary

judicial processes

judicial powers

b : belonging to the branch of government that is charged with trying all cases that involve the government and with the administration of justice within its jurisdiction — compare executive, legislative

2 : ordered or enforced by a court

a judicial sale

3 : belonging or appropriate to a judge or the judiciary

judicial robes

judicial dignity

4 : of, characterized by, or expressing judgment : critical 2d

5 : arising from a judgment of God

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judicially

play \jü-ˈdi-sh(ə-)lē\ adverb

See judicial defined for English-language learners

See judicial defined for kids

Examples of judicial in a Sentence

the judicial branch of government

Recent Examples of judicial from the Web

Spanish judicial authorities, on the other hand, say no such right exists in the country’s constitution and that separatists leaders’ attempts to secede did amount to rebellion.

— jeannette neumann, WSJ, "German Court Authorizes Extradition to Spain of Catalonia’s Former Leader," 12 July 2018
But Democrats had begun filibustering a number of Bush's judicial nominees, which Republicans saw as an affront to their agenda.

— CBS News, "Nuclear option: Why Trump's Supreme Court pick needs only 51 votes," 9 July 2018
Trump’s relative success on this front is due, in large part, to Republicans’ control of the Senate and the Democrats’ decision in 2013 to eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominees for lower courts.

— claire zillman, Fortune, "Think President Trump Is About to Remake the Federal Judiciary? To Some Degree, He Already Has," 8 July 2018
Demand Justice has lavished praise on Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, who has pledged to oppose advancing all Trump judicial nominees as a form of protest vote.

— seung min kim, chicagotribune.com, "Democrats hope Kennedy's retirement will make courts a galvanizing issue for voters," 7 July 2018
The Belgian prosecutors’ office said Belgian security services, France’s domestic intelligence service and German judicial authorities had been instrumental in preventing another terror attack in France.

— sylvain plazy, The Seattle Times, "Belgium charges couple with plotting attack on French rally," 2 July 2018
The judicial election process is unique like no other out there.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Adkins-Tobin gets on November ballot to oppose sitting judges," 28 June 2018
The judicial authorities have also ramped up pressure on dissidents, most notably with the arrest of Ms. Sotoudeh.

— thomas erdbrink, New York Times, "Iran Is Changing, but Not in Ways Trump Thinks," 25 June 2018
Immergut was one of seven nominees announced Thursday for a federal district judge's seat, Trump's 15th wave of judicial nominees as president.

— maxine bernstein, OregonLive.com, "Multnomah County Judge Karin J. Immergut nominated to fill federal district judge's seat," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'judicial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of judicial

Middle English, from Latin judicialis, from judicium judgment, from judex — see ²judge

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

JUDICIAL Defined for English Language Learners

judicial

adjective

Definition of judicial for English Language Learners

: of or relating to courts of law or judges
: ordered or done by a court
: responsible for dealing with all legal cases involving the government

JUDICIAL Defined for Kids

judicial

adjective ju·di·cial \ jü-ˈdi-shəl \

Definition of judicial for Students

1 : of courts or judges

the judicial branch

2 : ordered or done by a court

judicial review

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judicially

adverb

Law Dictionary

judicial

adjective ju·di·cial \ jü-ˈdi-shəl \

legal Definition of judicial

1 a : of or relating to a judgment, the function of judging, the administration of justice, or the judiciary

b : of, relating to, or being the branch of government that is charged with trying all cases that involve the government and with the administration of justice within its jurisdiction — compare administrative 2, executive 1, legislative

2 : created, ordered, or enforced by a court