adjective
extrajudicial
ek-struh-joo-DISH-ul/ˌekstrədʒuˈdɪʃl/
Done outside the authority or procedures of a court.
The document reflects an extrajudicial decision made outside the closed courthouse.
Etymology
Extra- places an action outside what belongs to a court of justice. The boundary is procedural: the action occurs outside judicial proceedings or the ordinary course of legal procedure.
In context
Yet, the culprit flatly denied everything, insisting that no extrajudicial torture was used.
More examples
- The suspect gives an extrajudicial statement during a police interview.
- The report condemns extrajudicial punishments imposed without a trial.
- The parties reach an extrajudicial agreement instead of going to court.
Forms
extrajudicial
extrajudicially adverb — Without court authority or formal judicial proceedings.
Similar words
- out-of-court
- Usually describes settlements or agreements reached without court proceedings.
- nonjudicial
- Describes matters not involving courts, rather than bypassing their authority.