judicial

adjective ju·di·cial \ jü-ˈdi-shəl \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

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

Implementation of the program varies from district to district, depending on resources and enforcement priorities, but the program generally aims to increase prosecutions by expediting the judicial process.

— richard marosi, latimes.com, "Feds plan mass prosecution of illegal border-crossing cases in San Diego, attorneys say," 7 June 2018
Trump’s lawyers are claiming the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution prevents that precedent from applying to state judicial proceedings.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Judge Tells Trump to Submit to Deposition in Sexual-Harassment Suit," 5 June 2018
McConnell said senators would focus on passing spending bills before the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year and confirming President Donald Trump’s judicial and executive nominees.

— skyler swisher, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Senate August recess cancellation could hurt Nelson's re-election campaign," 5 June 2018
They are not governed by any judicial process; detentions are on the orders of the police or party officials, not the verdict of a court.

— The Economist, "China has turned Xinjiang into a police state like no other," 31 May 2018
Unexpectedly and suddenly, these places faced judicial desegregation orders.

— will stancil, The Atlantic, "The Radical Supreme Court Decision That America Forgot," 29 May 2018
When the case reached the courts, the unfairness of the judicial system compounded the tragedy, reinforcing how Jim Crow courts equaled injustice.

— Longreads, "Nell Battle Lewis, Storyteller for Jim Crow," 25 May 2018
Throughout the judicial process, two words stuck in Heimlich’s mind: five years.

— SI.com, "Prospect and Pariah," 16 May 2018
Louisville coach Bobby Petrino has said that the program will make a decision on Brents’ status when the judicial process is complete.

— jake lourim, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville football signee to perform community service to get shoplifting charge dismissed," 25 Apr. 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

: 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 \

1 : of courts or judges

the judicial branch

2 : ordered or done by a court

judicial review

—

judicially

adverb

Law Dictionary

judicial

adjective ju·di·cial \ jü-ˈdi-shəl \

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