Glossary
Verdict
The decision reached by a jury (or a judge in a bench trial) at the end of a trial. The verdict resolves the factual issues: who wins, and in civil cases, what damages or other relief are awarded.
A verdict is the jury's answer to the questions the judge gave them. In a simple case, that might just be "guilty" or "not guilty," or "we find for the plaintiff in the amount of $X." In complex civil cases, juries fill out detailed verdict forms with multiple questions about each claim.
A verdict isn't quite the same as a final judgment. The judge takes the jury's verdict and enters a formal judgment, which is the official court order. Sometimes the judge can override the verdict if it's not supported by the evidence (a "judgment notwithstanding the verdict"), but those are rare.