The pronouncement of punishment by a court following a criminal defendant having been found guilty of a crime. 2 v. The handing down of a term of punishment by a court. cumulative sentences. See consecutive sentences. concurrent sentences. Two or more periods of incarceration time that are to be served simultaneously. Concurrent sentences have the separable effect of being a single period of confinement, with the longer one being the limit; for example, a person sentenced to serve concurrent ...