adjudicate
verb [ I or T ]
LAW uk/əˈdʒuːdɪkeɪt/ usto make an official decision about something, especially about who is right in a disagreement:
A panel of expert judges has been appointed to adjudicate the community service awards.
adjudicate on sth Arbitration panels will adjudicate on contract disputes.
adjudicate between sb and sb It is the duty of government to adjudicate between the conflicting demands of different sections of society.
adjudicate sb bankrupt
to legally and officially state that a person, company, or organization cannot pay its debts:
The operator of the steel plant was adjudicated bankrupt by the regional court on July 7.