In law, What is the difference between the terms "discretion" and "judgment"?

Question

My boss asked me this question and I felt ridiculous when I didn't know the answer. What makes it worse is that he refused to tell me the answer and is going to give me a "test" tomorrow about it. Does anyone know the difference?

Answer 1

Most police officers, are given the discretion of whether to write a ticket or not, for minor violations, like, speeding, mechanical and such.

Its an officers judgment as to what, if any, crime has been committed at a scene. Example, a fight between two people, an officer has to look at the evidence at the scene, talk to bystanders and use judgment as to who is at fault and goes to jail, either domestic violence, or DP.

Many departments give officers plenty of room to use their discretion on many things, but something more severe is a judgment call on their part and it goes hand in hand with the departmental policy.

Answer 2

Discretion is the power a Judge may have to use his common sense and experience in deciding things like sentences. For instance, a Judge may give a lighter sentence because it's a first offense.

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/discretion

A Judgment is a piece of paper from the court awarding money to the party that wins in a lawsuit.
I have provided a URL with a more comprehensive and formal definition below:

Formal definition: judgment n. the final decision by a court in a lawsuit, criminal prosecution, or appeal from a lower court's judgment, except for an "interlocutory judgment" which is tentative until a final judgment is made. The word "decree" is sometimes used as synonymous with judgment. (See: decree)

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Judgement


However, both words have common English definition outside of the law.

Am I the only person on this board who knows how to google.

Answer 3

Descretion means he has some leeway in sentencing a person. No manditory sentence.
Judgement means that he is defining a point of law by using his judgement.Judgement usually goes to a point of law. Judgement can be overturned on appeal if a higher judge decides his opinion was wrong. Discretion cannot.

Answer 4

IIRC,
Discretion confers the authority to make a decision.
Judgement speaks of the ability to make the decision.

Answer 5

Discretion is a fine-tuned kind of judgement.