Judgment

A judgment is the formal final decision made by a court (made by a judge and/or a jury). In a criminal case, a judgment will involve a sentence or reprimand for a defendant found guilty, while in civil cases the court will decide upon a remedy for the claimant. In most jurisdictions, but with some exceptions, appeals must be made only after the final judgment. Most often, the judgment must be fulfilled or acted upon before an appeal can be launched, such as in contract law, or else the appeal will not be heard. Different types of judgment include a county court judgment (CCJ) and a High Court judgment – these types may be given without a defendant being present in court if they fail to respond to a summons. In cases where it is ruled that the defendant must repay money to a claimant, the defendant will receive a written judgment in the post which details who to pay, how much money is owed, whether it is to be paid in full or in instalments, and the deadline to pay by.