Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
📄 Court report ⚖️ Before sentencing
presentence

presentence

1 9.3
Happening before a judge decides a punishment
  • adjective
  • /ˈprɛzəntˌsɛns/
  • Formal
: pre-sentencia
  • A presentence report can influence the judge's final decision on punishment.

Examples

  • The court requested a presentence investigation to gather more information about the defendant.

  • During the presentence phase, the defendant's background was examined.

  • Lawyers often submit presentence memoranda to highlight mitigating factors before sentencing.

  • The presentence report was critical for the judge's decision.

  • The court requested a presentence investigation to gather more information about the defendant.

  • A presentence report can influence the judge's final decision on punishment.

  • Lawyers often submit presentence memoranda to highlight mitigating factors before sentencing.

Synonyms

presentencing
vspresentence
  • Formal
1 7.9

Happening before a court gives a sentence

is a general descriptor for the same period not the announcing action

Surface Forms

presentence positive

Morphology

presentence = sentence (semi-transparent) = pre + sentence

While the prefix 'pre-' clearly indicates 'before', the specific legal meaning of 'presentence' is specialized and not immediately obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Presentence combines the prefix pre- meaning 'before' and the word sentence meaning a judge's 'decision' or 'punishment'. So presentence as an adjective describes something that happens before the judge decides, for example a check or investigation that comes 'before' sentencing.