sentencing

This term operates within a strict legal register, referring specifically to the judicial phase following a conviction. It encompasses both the procedural event (the hearing) and the resulting legal decree (the penalty). While it is derived from the verb "sentence," in these noun forms it functions as a technical term of art in criminal law.

Confusion often arises between the process and the outcome. When referring to the hearing, it describes a temporal event in the court calendar. When referring to the penalty, it describes the specific duration or type of punishment, such as a prison term or a fine.