Legal Definitions - Vacatur

Definition: Vacatur is a Latin term that means "it is vacated." It refers to a rule or order that sets aside a judgment or annuls a proceeding.

Illustrative caselaw: An example of vacatur can be seen in the case of Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms, 130 S.Ct. 2743 (2010). In this case, the Supreme Court vacated a lower court's decision to allow the planting of genetically modified alfalfa seeds. The vacatur meant that the lower court's decision was set aside and the case was sent back to the lower court for further consideration.

Additional example: Another example of vacatur could be a judge setting aside a guilty verdict in a criminal case due to new evidence that was not presented during the trial.

The examples illustrate that vacatur is a legal term used to describe the setting aside of a judgment or order. It can be used in various legal contexts, such as civil and criminal cases, and is often used when there is a need to reconsider a decision due to new evidence or errors in the original proceeding.