legal-terms language
Are the terms &quot;stipulate&quot; and &quot;determine&quot; interchangable in legal texts?
<p>Are "stipulate" and "determine" interchangeable? Can I say, "the Government Regulation is determined by the Presidential Decree", for instance, or simply use "stipulated" instead?</p>

<p>I read on the internet that "determine" means ‘to set limits’ while "stipulate" is 'to require (something) as a condition of a contract or agreement', but I don't really get it.</p>

<p>No. Neither colloquially nor in legal speak are they interchangeable. In law, a stipulation is a "formal legal acknowledgement and agreement made between opposing parties prior to a pending hearing or trial." For example, say you and I are litigating over a contract dispute. Sometimes it may be in our interest to stipulate to the fact that there was a valid contract. It increases in efficiency of the court system, saves money and time not arguing over obvious things, and generally just lets the proceedings address the topics required of them. To determine something, conversely, is simply to make a decision or to establish something as fact, often after research or measurements. </p>
