The phrase "a preliminary decree" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal contexts to refer to an initial ruling or order issued by a court before a final decision is made.
Example: "The judge issued a preliminary decree to address the immediate concerns of the case while further proceedings were scheduled."
Alternatives: "an initial ruling" or "a provisional order".
But on Friday, Madonna, the singer, and Mr. Ritchie, the film director, were granted a preliminary decree of divorce by a London court, The Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, his attempts to gain the royal family's acceptance of Mrs. Simpson, who had obtained a preliminary decree of divorce on October 27, 1936, met with firm opposition, backed by the Church of England (of which he was the head) and most politicians in both Britain and the Commonwealth.
Archives|DUCHESS DIVORCED FROM WESTMINSTER; Preliminary Decree Is Granted by London Court in Undefended Action.
A decree nisi is a preliminary divorce order which could be finalised within weeks if neither side objects.
The Assembly voted on Tuesday to approve the decree powers in a preliminary vote, with a final vote on the controversial proposal expected later this week, Reuters reported.
But last month, in a preliminary risk-assessment report, the EPA decreed that the threat of Bt corn to monarchs "was not sufficient to cause undue concern". Though lobbyists for the biotech and corn industries celebrated the report, the reaction among America's leading monarch researchers was cool.
A preliminary caveat is in order.
Decree laying down details on a preliminary assessment of flood risk.
The District Court issued a preliminary injunction on January 16 , 1967 against further payments and on respondents' motion for summary judgment transformed its decree into a permanent injunction on June 15 , 1967
Politicians and clergymen holding talks at the monastery reached a preliminary agreement on demilitarising the area round the White House parliament building, the focal point of the crisis brought on last month when President Yeltsin issued a decree dissolving parliament.
