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Graduates' slander case dismissed by a judge, in the end (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

alumnae

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'graduates' slander case dismissed by a judge in the end' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'case dismissed by a judge in the end' is the wordplay.
'case' becomes 'alum' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'dismissed' indicates an anagram.
'by' says to put letters next to each other.
'the end' indicates one should take the final letters.
The last letters of 'judge in' are 'en'.
'a' next to 'en' is 'aen'.
'aen' is an anagram of 'nae'.
'alum'+'nae'='ALUMNAE'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for alumnae that I've seen before include "Women who have studied" , "Former students" , "Former female pupils" , "Graduates of a college" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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