compromise verdict
1
9.6
- noun
- /ˈkɒmprəˌmaɪz ˈvɜrdɪkt/
- Jargon
- Many believe a compromise verdict undermines the integrity of the justice system.
Examples
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The jury reached a compromise verdict after days of deliberation.
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During the trial, the attorney argued that the jury's compromise verdict undermined the integrity of the legal process.
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A compromise verdict can undermine the fairness of a court proceeding.
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Attorneys argued that the jury's compromise verdict invalidated the integrity of the entire trial.
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The judge declared a mistrial upon discovering that the jury had reached a compromise verdict rather than a unanimous one.
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After long deliberation, the jury reached a compromise verdict that split the issues among the main arguments.
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The judge expressed concern that the jury's compromise verdict reflected pressure rather than a fair assessment of the evidence.
Synonyms
1
6.7
A decision by a jury or judge that is not supported by the facts
Antonyms
How Fair
110
4.4
- Formal
12
6.3
- Jargon
1
9.6
1
6.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'compromise' (a settlement by concessions) and 'verdict' (a jury's decision) transparently combine to suggest a decision reached by compromise, so a learner can infer the general idea. However, the phrase carries a specific legal nuance — that the verdict results from improper concessions among jurors rather than unbiased evaluation of evidence — and this pragmatic/collocational detail may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun compromise verdict comes from a simple image: jurors compromise by each giving up some views and meeting in the middle to reach a verdict, the decision in a trial. So a compromise verdict means a decision made by give and take rather than by clear judgment, and that is why it can seem 'unfair'.