Judgment
A court's final statement of the grounds for its decision on the matters in issue, ordinarily followed by a decree.
In Simple Terms
The court's written explanation of why it decided the case the way it did.
Detailed Legal Meaning
A judgment is the court's reasoned decision on the substantive matters in issue in a suit, petition, or appeal — the grounds on which the final order or decree is based. In civil proceedings a judgment is ordinarily followed by a formal decree drawn up in accordance with it; in criminal proceedings a judgment records the finding (conviction or acquittal) and, where relevant, the sentence.
Common Court Usage
Pronounced in open court (or, increasingly, uploaded to the court's own website/e-Courts services); a certified copy is typically required before an appeal can be filed against it.