A verdict is a ruling.
Verdict is a term that comes from the Latin words vere ( "with truth" ) and dictus ( "said" ). It is, therefore, an opinion or judgment that is issued thoughtfully and authoritatively.
For example: «The specialized journalists gave their verdict after the performance and described the work as one of the best creations of the French playwright» , «I am not interested in your verdict: I am satisfied with my performance and that, for me, is more than enough» , «Whenever I finish writing a book, I wait for my wife's verdict» .
The verdict as criticism
There are well-defined tendencies regarding the verdict that critics issue after having carefully studied a work: at one extreme are those people who pay attention to the opinions of specialists, while at the other are those who always prefer to judge creations by themselves. Far from the extremes, there are those who appreciate advice and guides but who also venture to consume even the lowest-rated products.
The Internet represents a very fertile soil for criticism since, unlike the paper era, it does not require large investments from entrepreneurs who wish to found their own magazine or journalistic space. On the other hand, from the user's point of view, there are a large number of sites that are always ready to give their verdict after having read a book, tried a video game, watched a movie or tested a new product .
This greater variety of points of view, added to how accessible they are for any Internet user, has its clear negative and positive points: on the one hand, given that the majority of virtual publications are maintained thanks to the income provided by advertising. , fake news, sensationalism and buying reviews are not uncommon; But it is also true that if we keep alive our ability to judge what we read, we can enrich ourselves much more today than two decades ago, when the truth was more resistant to coming to light.
In the judicial field, a verdict represents the decision regarding a case.
A ruling by a jury
A verdict, on the other hand, is a ruling handed down by a jury . In the field of procedural law , therefore, it is the decision made by a jury regarding a case, which represents a decision regarding whether or not the parties' allegations have been proven. The decision can be obtained by:
- Unanimity , when all members of the jury agree with the verdict.
- Simple majority , also called common or relative : this is the situation in which the decision with the most votes in favor is chosen. Furthermore, it should be clarified that abstentions are ignored when formulating the verdict and that voting can be bipolar (only the possibility of casting a vote for, against or abstaining is considered) or multiple (there are more than two options). to study before making a decision);
- Qualified majority , also called special : this system requires more votes than the simple majority for a decision to be approved.
After the jury's verdict, the judge must issue a sentence that qualifies and classifies the proven facts within the legislation, offering a conclusion that is binding on all parties. This means that, if the jury 's verdict indicates that a defendant is guilty, the judge must impose the penalty that corresponds to him according to the law .
This procedural operation, however, depends on each legislation. In some countries, the jury's verdict already includes technical resolutions such as the legal framework or the corresponding compensation.