abuse of discretion
The term "abuse of discretion" is commonly used in legal contexts to describe situations where a decision-maker acts outside the bounds of reasonable judgment.
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Definition
C1Judicial
(legal, formal)An error by a court in making a ruling that is clearly unreasonable or unsupported by the facts or law.
Example
- The appellate court found an abuse of discretion in the trial judge's exclusion of key evidence.
C1Government
(legal, formal)An improper action by a government official that results in an unjust or unreasonable decision.
Example
- The mayor's decision to award the contract without a bidding process was deemed an abuse of discretion.