1. The postponement or halting of a proceeding, judgment, or the like.
2. An order to suspend all or part of a judicial proceeding or a judgment resulting from that proceeding.
— Also termed stay of execution; suspension of judgment. [Cases: Action 67; Execution 158; Federal Civil Procedure 2700. C.J.S. Actions § 243; Executions §§ 152–153, 155.] — stay, vb. — stayable, adj.
automatic stay. Bankruptcy. A bar to all judicial and extrajudicial collection efforts against the debtor or the debtor’s property. • The policy behind the automatic stay, which is effective upon the filing of the bankruptcy petition, is that all actions against the debtor should be halted pending the determination of creditors’ rights and the orderly administration of the debtor’s assets free from creditor interference.
— Also termed automatic suspension. [Cases: Bankruptcy 2391–2404. C.J.S. Bankruptcy §§ 65–79.]
