RESPITE

n. temporary delay, cessation, intermission; reprieve, suspension of an execution, delay or cancellation of a death sentence

v. suspend temporarily, grant an intermission; suspend an execution, delay or cancel a death sentence

The pardon power of the U.S. Constitution has been broadly interpreted to include a variety of specific powers. Among those powers are: pardons, conditional pardons, commutations of sentence, conditional commutations of sentence, remissions of fines and forfeitures, respites and amnesties. Respites delay the imposition of sentence but in no way modify a sentence or address questions of due process, guilt or innocence. Historically, presidents have granted most respites for periods of 30 to 90 days and have renewed (extended) such delays when it seemed necessary. The most common public explanations for respites have been to:delay executions (for a variety of reasons)alllow additional time to study clemency applicationsawait the outcome of an appealallow full executive review of a sentence affirmed in the appellate process While these have been the commonly stated reasons, it is important to understand that the Constitution in no way limits the circumstances of their use or the length of time involved
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Noun
1. a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
(synonym) reprieve
(hypernym) relief, ease
2. a pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate"
(synonym) recess, break, time out
(hypernym) pause
(hyponym) spring break
3. an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
(synonym) suspension, reprieve, hiatus, abatement
(hypernym) interruption, break
(hyponym) defervescence
4. a pause for relaxation; "people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests"
(synonym) rest, relief, rest period
(hypernym) pause, intermission, break, interruption, suspension
(hyponym) breath, breather, breathing place, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time
5. the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment
(synonym) reprieve
(hypernym) clemency, mercifulness, mercy
(derivation) reprieve
(classification) law, jurisprudence
Verb
1. postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution
(synonym) reprieve
(hypernym) postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table, shelve, set back, defer, remit, put off
(derivation) reprieve

(n.)
To relieve by a pause or interval of rest.
  

(n.)
To keep back from execution; to reprieve.
  

(n.)
To give or grant a respite to.
  

(n.)
To delay or postpone; to put off.
  

(n.)
The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term.
  

(n.)
Temporary suspension of the execution of a capital offender; reprieve.
  

(n.)
Temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation; interval of rest; pause; delay.
  

(n.)
A putting off of that which was appointed; a postponement or delay.
  

An act by which a debtor who is unable to satisfy his debts at the moment, transacts (i. e. compromises) with his creditors, and obtains from them time or delay for the payment of the sums which he owes to them.

The respite is either voluntary or forced; it is voluntary when all the creditors consent to the proposal, which the debtor makes to pay in a limited time the whole or a part of his debt; it is forced when a part of the creditors refuse to accept the debtor's proposal, and when the latter is obliged to compel them by judicial authority, to consent to what the others have deter-mined in the cases directed by law.

Respite also signifies a delay, forbearance or continuation of time.

crim. law. A suspension of a sentence, which is to be executed at a future time. It differs from a pardon, which is in abolition of the crime.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.