An interlocutory decree, judgment, order or sentence can be found in all areas of law and litigation, including civil, family and employment law.
It refers to when a temporary ruling is granted by the judge, which either prohibits or allows for a specific action, while the case is in process and until the court has reached a decision. It is made at the outset of a trial and relates to the heart of the case.
There are several reasons why an interlocutory judgment could be used. Some examples include:
Cases must have started, but not finished, for an interlocutory judgment to be used. It is considered the back-and-forth interactions between both sides while coming to a final decision. It could change or have a lasting effect on the subject matter being decided.
When such an order is requested, a lapse in the court action persists until the further information is provided and assessed. Then, the case resumes from where it left off. At the end of a case, when the final judgment is ruled upon, any interlocutory decrees would be finished by default, as the final order would supersede any decree that took place before it.
Interlocutory orders are notoriously difficult to receive from a judge.