decree n : a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge); "a friend in New Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there" [syn: edict, fiat, order, rescript]

1 issue a decree; "The King only can decree"

2 decide with authority; "The King decreed that all first-born males should be killed" [syn: rule]

English

Noun

1. An edict or law.
2. The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.
3. The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty, or a court of probate.

• Note: It is accurate to use the word judgment for a decision of a court of law, and decree from a court of equity, although the former term now includes both.

Derived terms

• consent decree
• decree nisi
• final decree
• Interlocutory decree

Translations

• Finnish: asetus, julistus, määritys
• French: décret
• German: Erlass , Verfügung , Verordnung , Dekret
• Italian: decreto
• Kurdish:

Verb

1. To command by a decree.

Translations

• Finnish: antaa asetus, julistaa, määrätä
• German: bestimmen, verfügen, verordnen, dekretieren
• Spanish: decretar

A decree is an order made by a head of state or government and having the force of law. The particular term used for this concept may vary from country to country — the executive orders made by the president of the United States, for example, are decrees. In non-legal English usage, however, the term rule by decree refers to any authoritarian decision and in this sense is often derogatory.

Imperial Decree

An imperial decree is a decree issued by a sovereign ruler, such as an emperor, king, or similarly styled person. Imperial decrees from monarchial times differ from decrees issued by heads of state in modern democracies in that they embodied a force of law that was subject to no limitations either by other branches of government, or through the democratic process.

Russia

After the Russian Revolution, a government proclamation of wide meaning was called a "decree" (Russian: декрет, dekret); more specific proclamations were called ukaz. Both terms are usually translated as 'decree'.

According to the Russian Federation's 1993 constitution, an ukaz is a Presidential decree. Such ukazes have the power of laws, but may not alter the Russian constitution or the regulations of existing laws, and may be superseded by laws passed by the Federal Assembly.

Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church uses decrees from the Pope such as a papal Bull, Papal Brief or Motu Proprio as legislative acts.

Other uses of the term

In some jurisdictions, certain types of court orders by judges are referred to as decrees. After the Russian Revolution, a government proclamation of wide meaning was called a "decree" (Russian: декрет, dekret); more specific proclamations were called ukaz. Both terms are usually translated as 'decree'.

According to the Russian Federation's 1993 constitution, an ukaz is a Presidential decree. Such ukazes have the power of laws, but may not alter the Russian constitution or the regulations of existing laws, and may be superseded by laws passed by the Federal Assembly. The Government of Russia can also issue decrees which will not contradict the constitution/laws or presidential decrees.

External links

All external sites in French unless otherwise noted.

• • 1946 Constitution of the 4th Republic
  • 1958 Constitution of the 5th Republic

References

See also

• Soviet Decrees
• Edict
• Rescript
• Ukase
• Proclamation
• rule by decree

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