Legal Definitions - breaking a case

Definition: Breaking a case refers to two different things:

1. When one judge on an appeals court shares their initial thoughts on how a case should be decided with another judge on the same panel. This helps the judges understand how close they are to reaching a decision.
2. When the police solve a case.

Example 1: During an appeals court hearing, one judge might say to another, "I'm leaning towards ruling in favor of the defendant because of X, Y, and Z reasons." This is an example of breaking a case because the judge is sharing their initial thoughts on how the case should be decided.

Example 2: The police have been investigating a robbery for weeks. Finally, they gather enough evidence to arrest a suspect and charge them with the crime. This is an example of breaking a case because the police have solved the case.

Both examples illustrate breaking a case because they involve reaching a conclusion or decision. In the first example, the judges are working towards a decision on the case, while in the second example, the police have reached a conclusion about who committed the crime.