Legal Definitions - interlocutory

The term “interlocutory” means that something is not final or conclusive. It indicates that further action or decisions are needed.

• An “interlocutory decree” is a court decision that does not settle all of the issues in a case. This means that the court needs to take further action to resolve the controversy. For example, if a divorce case is not settled completely, the court may issue an interlocutory decree to address some issues, such as child custody or support, while leaving other issues for later.
• An “interlocutory order” is a temporary order issued by a court during the course of litigation. This order is not final and may be changed or modified later. For example, a court may issue an interlocutory order to prevent a party from disposing of assets during a lawsuit.
• An “interlocutory appeal” is an appeal of a non-final order. This means that a party is challenging a decision that is not yet final. For example, if a court issues an interlocutory order that a party disagrees with, that party may file an interlocutory appeal to challenge the order before the case is concluded.

These examples illustrate how the term “interlocutory” is used in legal contexts to indicate that a decision or order is not final and that further action or decisions are needed.