judgment or judgement

cathy427

I know the lectures went over this in the early years but I have long forgotten it (took time out) but when writing about a case when should you use "judgement" and when "judgment"
One lecturer used to make a big deal of it but never sure I got the difference to be honest. (or whether he was the only one that cared about it)

Claw Hammer

cathy427 wrote: »

I know the lectures went over this in the early years but I have long forgotten it (took time out) but when writing about a case when should you use "judgement" and when "judgment"
One lecturer used to make a big deal of it but never sure I got the difference to be honest. (or whether he was the only one that cared about it)

Judgment and judgement are alternate spellings of the same word. They are both common in British English, although only one is acceptable in American English.

Judgment is a noun that means the decision of a judge or legal court or an opinion formed either objectively or subjectively. This is spelling is appropriate in both American English and British English. It is also the only acceptable spelling within American English.

The judgment of the court is that the defendant is guilty.
Judgement has the same meaning, although it is considered an incorrect spelling in American English. This spelling is becoming more common in British English over time.

hullaballoo

A decision of a court is a judgment with one e.

The general ability to form reasoned decisions is judgement with two es.

I doubt many sensible people care too much about it as it doesn't really change the meaning.

It would be important if engaging in formal legal writing to get the distinction right, beyond that it is less important.

Peregrinus

Some people prefer "judgment" for a ruling or decision, and "judgement" for the ability or faculty of making decisions. Most people make no such distinction and I have never found a dictionary or style guide which makes it; they all treat "judgment" and "judgement" as acceptable alternative spellings for all senses of the word.

However the Oxford English Dictionary does contain a note to the effect that "judgment" used to be the overwhelmingly dominant spelling until the rise of "judgement" in the nineteenth century in Britain (not the US) but that (due perhaps to the conservatism which characterises the legal profession) "judgement" never found favour in legal contexts to refer to a judicial decision, and "judgment" is still dominant in that context.

So I don't think you could say that "judgement" for a court decision is wrong; just that it's not the spelling that lawyers tend to use.

cathy427

Brilliant, thanks everyone, this is exactly what I was after.

I should have been clearer in the question - it was for legal writing that I was wondering.

hullaballoo wrote: »

A decision of a court is a judgment with one e.

The general ability to form reasoned decisions is judgement with two es.

I doubt many sensible people care too much about it as it doesn't really change the meaning.

It would be important if engaging in formal legal writing to get the distinction right, beyond that it is less important.

Mrs OBumble

hullaballoo wrote: »

The general ability to form reasoned decisions is judgement with two es.

And does not exist in the American world, according to a previous post.

Mmm.