consent decree

American  

noun

Law.

1. an agreement, approved by the court, pursuant to which the defendant ceases activities alleged by the government to be illegal and the government's action is dropped, especially in antitrust and other regulatory matters.

2. an agreement made in court by the parties to settle a suit in equity.

---

Etymology

Origin of consent decree

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

The studios made the movies and, until a federal consent decree in 1948, owned the theaters in which they played.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

After a years-long court fight, a consent decree was signed in which Trump and his father admitted no guilt but were forced to change their rental practices.

From Salon • Aug. 18, 2025

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, though, said this week that his city would still "comply with every sentence, of every paragraph, of the 169-page consent decree that we signed this year".

From BBC • May 25, 2025

In his late 20s, he and his father had to sign a consent decree after repeatedly violating the Fair Housing Act, the last major law of Johnson’s presidency.

From Slate • May 19, 2025

Should that consent decree provide for the appointment of an advisor or advisors to the court for any purpose, any such advisor shall be the special master so named by the court.

From Copyright Law of the United States of America and Related Laws Contained in Title 17 of the United States Code, Circular 92 by United States