COMMUTATION

commutation (kom-y<<schwa>>-tay-sh<<schwa>>n), n.1. An exchange or replacement. 2.Criminal law. The executive’s substitution in a particular case of a less severe punishment for a more severe one that has already been judicially imposed on the defendant. Cf. PARDON; REPRIEVE. [Cases: Pardon and Parole  28. C.J.S. Pardon and Parole §§ 4, 34–41.] 3.Commercial & civil law. The substitution of one form of payment for the other. — commute,vb.— commutative,adj. [Blacks Law 8th]