In practice. A stopping; the act of arresting a judicial proceeding, by the order of a court. Stay laws. Acts of the legislature prescribing a stay of execution in certain cases, or a stay of foreclosure of mortgages, or closing the courts for a limited period, or providing that suits shall not be instituted until a certain time after the cause of action arose, or otherwise suspending legal remedies; designed for the relief of debtors, in times of general distress or financial trouble. Stay of execution. The stopping or arresting of execution on a judgment, that is, of the judgment-creditor’s right to issue execution, for a limited period. This is given by statute in many jurisdictions, as a privilege to the debtor, usually on his furnishing bail for the debt, costs, and interest. Or it may take place by agreement of the parties. See National Docks, etc., Co. v. Pennsylvania R. Co., 54 N. J. Eq. 167, 33 Atl. 936. Stay of proceedings. The temporary suspension of the regular order of proceedings in a cause, by direction or order of the court usually to await the action of one of the parties in regard to some omitted step or some act which the court has required him to perform as incidental to the suit; as where a non-resident plaintiff has been ruled to give security for costs.