term:

Certification

certification n

1 a : the act of certifying
b : the state of being certified see also certiorari NOTE: Certification of an interlocutory decision by a trial court allows an appellate court to review the decision and to answer a controlling question of law. Certification is often used in state courts as well as federal courts and, where available, allows a federal court to refer a question of state law to the state's highest court. Certification is also used to refer to a judge's order that allows a suit to be maintained as a class action.
2 : a certified statement

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