A Decree Nisi Is Not Final Until It Is Absolute
A decree is an official order. In divorce law the word came in two stages, and the Latin tags mattered.
A decree is an official order having the force of law. English divorce law long used two of them: the *decree nisi*, from Latin *nisi*, unless, which took effect unless someone showed cause otherwise, and the *decree absolute*, which ended the marriage. The terms were replaced in 2022 by conditional and final orders, but the two-stage structure remains.
- An official order. *A royal decree.*
- To order officially. *The court decreed it.*
- Decree nisi — a provisional order. *Granted a decree nisi.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | decree | A presidential decree. |
| Plural | decrees | Successive decrees. |
| Verb | decree | Decree a holiday. |
| Past | decreed | It was decreed. |
| Related | decretal | A papal decretal. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The government ruled by decree.Without legislature.
- A decree nisi becomes absolute after six weeks.Under the old English terminology.
- He decreed that the shops should close.Verb.
Latin tags in English law
- Nisi — unless; provisional
- Absolute — final and unconditional
- Sub judice — under judicial consideration
- Prima facie — at first sight
- Habeas corpus — that you have the body; a challenge to detention
From Old French *decre*, from Latin *decretum*, a decision, from *decernere*, to decide, from *de* and *cernere*, to sift or separate.
What did decree nisi mean?
A provisional divorce order that would become final unless someone showed a reason it should not. England replaced the term in 2022.
Decree or ordinance?
A decree is usually issued by an executive or court. An ordinance is typically a local legislative act.