Interlocutory order
“A provisional or temporary judicial ruling issued during the course of a lawsuit before a final judgment is reached.”
Synonyms by Register & Formality
Antonyms & Opposites
Nuance Analysis & Word Contrasts
The term 'interlocutory order' is a precise legal term of art. It should be used exclusively in formal legal contexts to describe rulings that do not resolve the merits of a case but address procedural or temporary matters. Unlike 'interim order,' which is often used interchangeably in common parlance, 'interlocutory' carries a specific technical weight regarding the timing and appealability of the decision within a court's docket.
interlocutory order vs final judgment
An interlocutory order is temporary and does not conclude the litigation, whereas a final judgment resolves the case on its merits and typically triggers the right to a full appeal.
interlocutory order vs interim order
While often synonymous, 'interim order' is a broader, more accessible term, whereas 'interlocutory order' is the strictly formal nomenclature used in procedural law to denote a ruling made during the pendency of an action.