In most legal contexts the term disposition means the entire course of events that have just happened. In legal usage of the word disposition can have many different interpretations. In particular it can refer to the actual sentence handed down to a guilty criminal defendant, or to a final determination of a case (like a motion or case) by the court.

In a criminal case the disposition of the case: refers to how the case is to be disposed of after a verdict has been reached. For instance, if a person is arrested for suspicion of rape and he is taken to court and given the choice between going to jail or spending the night in jail. The outcome of this case will depend entirely upon the decision that the arresting officer makes as regards the nature of the charges against the defendant. If he decides to arrest him, the case will proceed with the next phase – the trial. If however he decides to drop the charges, then the case is said to have been disposed of.

As a matter of practical law the question: what does disposition mean in court essentially arises when a person is charged with a crime. In most cases (and especially in felony cases), a person is either held in jail until the end of the trial or else is acquitted at the end of the trial. In some jurisdictions the lawyer who is defending a client who is charged with a crime may, at the client’s expense, also offer to drop the charges if the client is then found innocent. In other jurisdictions lawyers will attempt to defeat a prosecution’s case by pointing out mitigating circumstances that should lead to dismissal of the charges.

The term of the case also has some other meanings in common usage: When a person is said to have had a trial, this generally means that two people have determined the case has reached a conclusion and there is nothing left to be decided. The phrase “forfeiture” can be used to mean the removal from one’s possessions by the court, though not necessarily the taking away of the person’s freedom. A retainer may be defined as the payment of an attorney requires a client to pay for legal services, such as preparing a case for trial. Similarly, a plea bargain may be described as arrangements for the entering of a plea bargained upon by the prosecutor and the defense.

If a case is concluded by the court, what does disposition mean in court? The verdict is the definitive answer to what does disposition mean in court, but not necessarily the only answer. In some cases, a verdict is reached after a trial that leaves a defendant with no alternative but to accept the result. In some other cases, the jury must decide the case and cannot be appealed unless the defendants object. In others, the judge can resolve the case without a jury.

If a case ends in a dismissal: it means that the case is terminated because there was an objection to the legality of the action or due to some other reason. When a case is concluded with a verdict for the defendant, this is called a “sentence.” If, however, the case ends in a verdict for the plaintiff, but the plaintiff is not present at the bench hearing, this is called a “conclusion.” For example, if the plaintiff sues her employer for wrongful firing, but is not present at the court hearing.

The court will issue an order granting the plaintiff temporary custody of the children until a meeting between the two occurs, at which time the court will make its final decision.