A court decision is the end result of a lawsuit, answering the ultimate question of who wins and loses. The judgment also determines what each party takes away from the case. Along the way to a judgment, the court might issue many rulings on various issues including what evidence can be presented at trial. If a court makes an error in the course of hearing a case, this can lead to an erroneous judgment.
A judgment is a written order that summarizes the facts of a case, the law that applies to those facts, the arguments presented in court and the Court’s decision. The text of a judgment can be long and can include the majority or principal opinion as well as concurring or dissenting opinions. Usually the main opinion appears towards the end of the Court’s decision.
Once a judgment is entered (recorded), it can be enforced. If a money judgment is awarded, the person who wins (the creditor) can serve a copy of the judgment with notice of entry and then start Collecting a Judgment against the person who lost the case.
After a Court of Appeal issues an opinion or order, the winning party can request reimbursement for their court costs from the losing party by filing a request in their trial court. The Court of Appeal will typically include details about awarding costs on appeal in its opinion. If a party feels that the Court of Appeal interpreted the facts or law incorrectly or missed an important argument, they can file a petition for rehearing or request review by the California Supreme Court.