content: <PAGE>
   
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                  _______________
  
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                  DECEMBER 8, 1998
  
                                  ----------------
  
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
  
                           CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
  
  
           DELAWARE                     0-22366                    94-2878499
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction        (Commission                (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)               File Number)             Identification No.)
  
  
  
  
  215 FOURIER AVENUE, FREMONT, CALIFORNIA                            94539
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)
  
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (510) 657-7400
                                                        --------------
  
  
  
                                        N/A
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
  <PAGE>
   
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
            On December 8, 1998, the Registrant issued a press release reporting
  the financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended
  October 31, 1998 and a press release reporting the resignation of its Chairman
  and Chief Executive Officer.
  
  
  
  Item 7.  Exhibits.
  
            Copies of the Registrant's December 8, 1998  press releases announcing
  its financial results for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended October 31,
  1998 and the resignation of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are
  attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and incorporated herein
  by reference.
  <PAGE>
   
                                     SIGNATURES
                                     ----------
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
                                      CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                                      ----------------------------
                                      (Registrant)
  
  
  Date:  December 8, 1998             By  /s/ Dennis P. Wolf
                                         --------------------
  
                                      Name:     Dennis P. Wolf
                                      Title:    Chief Financial Officer
  <PAGE>
   
                                 INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
  
   
           Exhibit No.                        Description                   Page
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             99.1              Press Release disseminated on December 8,
                               1998
                               regarding the Registrant's financial results
                               for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended
                               October 31, 1998.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             99.2              Press Release disseminated on December 8,
                               1998
                               regarding the resignation of the
                               Registrant's Chairman and Chief Executive
                               Officer.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3972}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORP", "cik": "0000893162", "assigned-sic": "3825", "irs-number": "942878499", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1031"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-22366", "film-number": "98765950"}, "business-address": {"street1": "215 FOURIER AVE", "city": "FREMONT", "state": "CA", "zip": "94539", "phone": "5106577400"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "215 FOURIER AVE", "city": "FREMONT", "state": "CA", "zip": "94539"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                  _______________
  
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                  DECEMBER 8, 1998
  
                                  ----------------
  
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                           CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
           DELAWARE                     0-22366                    94-2878499
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction        (Commission                (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)               File Number)             Identification No.)
  
  215 FOURIER AVENUE, FREMONT, CALIFORNIA                            94539
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (510) 657-7400
                                                        --------------
  
                                        N/A
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
            On December 8, 1998, the Registrant issued a press release reporting
  the financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended
  October 31, 1998 and a press release reporting the resignation of its Chairman
  and Chief Executive Officer.
  
  Item 7.  Exhibits.
  
            Copies of the Registrant's December 8, 1998  press releases announcing
  its financial results for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended October 31,
  1998 and the resignation of its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are
  attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, and incorporated herein
  by reference.
  SIGNATURES
                                     ----------
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                      CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                                      ----------------------------
                                      (Registrant)
  
  Date:  December 8, 1998             By  /s/ Dennis P. Wolf
                                         --------------------
  
                                      Name:     Dennis P. Wolf
                                      Title:    Chief Financial Officer
  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
   
           Exhibit No.                        Description                   Page
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             99.1              Press Release disseminated on December 8,
                               1998
                               regarding the Registrant's financial results
                               for the fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended
                               October 31, 1998.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             99.2              Press Release disseminated on December 8,
                               1998
                               regarding the resignation of the
                               Registrant's Chairman and Chief Executive
                               Officer.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------