interlocutory

adjective

in·​ter·​loc·​u·​to·​ry ˌin-tər-ˈlä-kyə-ˌtȯr-ē 

: made during the progress of a legal action and not final or definitive

an interlocutory appeal

an interlocutory decree

Examples of interlocutory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Third Circuit only reviewed the case at an early stage with the NCAA in December 2021 being granted an interlocutory appeal, meaning an appeal of a case before it is decided (usually appellate courts only review cases after final judgment at the trial court level). —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 July 2024

On Friday, an interlocutory appeal by the town of New Milford and two of its former police officers who worked on the case of Bolden’s order denying their motion for summary judgment based on qualified immunity was dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. —David R. Cameron, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2024

The court granted the application for what’s known as interlocutory appeal without comment, saying that Trump and at least eight other co-defendants have 10 days to file their formal appeal. —Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024

Appealing a decision to grant Trump’s attorneys access to classified filings would be interlocutory, which means a higher court would need to weigh in and decide the dispute before a trial can commence — thereby likely causing some delay in the trial schedule. —Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

interlocutory

adjective

in·​ter·​loc·​u·​to·​ry ˌin-tər-ˈlä-kyə-ˌtōr-ē 

: not final or definitive

an interlocutory order

broadly : made or done during the progress of an action especially when delay would cause irreversible injury

an interlocutory appeal

Etymology

Medieval Latin interlocutorius, from Late Latin interloqui to pronounce an interlocutory sentence, from Latin, to speak between