extrajudicial

Extrajudicial is an adjective describing actions or measures taken outside the scope of the ordinary judicial process or not authorized by formal law. The term derives from Latin extra ("outside") and iudicium ("trial" or "judgment"), and is used in legal and political discourse to emphasize the absence of due process.

In common usage, extrajudicial refers to actions by state or non-state actors that bypass courts or formal judicial procedures. The most widely discussed form is extrajudicial killing, the execution of a person without a criminal trial or other proper judicial process. The term also appears in contexts such as extrajudicial detention or extrajudicial settlements, where dispute resolution occurs outside courts or probate processes. Critics often argue that extrajudicial measures violate rights to life, liberty, and a fair trial.

International law generally prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life and arbitrary detention, and many constitutions or legal systems require due process and independent oversight. Even when authorities invoke security concerns, obligations under human rights instruments typically require proportionality, necessity, and accountability for abuses. When alleged extrajudicial acts occur, they are commonly investigated by domestic mechanisms and may be subject to international scrutiny or oversight.

In legal doctrine, extrajudicial actions are contrasted with judicial processes that involve independent scrutiny, procedural safeguards, and enforceable orders. The term thus functions as a descriptor in debates about the rule of law, human rights, and government accountability.