term:

Adjudicate

adjudicate vb

-cat·ed
-cat·ing
[Latin adjudicare to award in judgment, from ad to, for + judicare to judge see judge ]
vt
1 : to settle either finally or temporarily (the rights and duties of the parties to a judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding) on the merits of the issues raised
2 : to pass judgment on as a judge
: settle judicially
3 : to pronounce judicially to be [was adjudicated a bankrupt] [was adjudicated the child's father]
4 : to convey by judicial sale
vi
: to come to a judicial decision
: act as judge [the court adjudicated upon the case]
ad·ju·di·ca·tion [ə-jü-di-kā-shən]
n

ad·ju·di·ca·tive [ə-jü-di-kā-tiv, -kə-]
n

ad·ju·di·ca·tor [-kā-tər]
n

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.