Court order

An ancient court order dated 544 BC

A court order (or order) is a formal written direction by a member of the judiciary. It directs a party to do something. It can also be an order not to do something, as in an injunction.

An order can be as simple as setting a date for trial. They can also be complex involving many details. It may be a final order (one that concludes the court action), or an interim order (one during the action). Most orders are written, and are signed by the judge. Some orders, however, are spoken orally by the judge in open court, and are only reduced to writing in the transcript of the proceedings.

Examples

The following represents a small sampling of matters that are commonly dictated by the terms of a court order:

• Restraining order
• Temporary protective order
• Emergency protective order
• Search warrant
• Divorce decree
• Child custody
• Child support
• Lawsuit rulings
• Criminal sentences
• Court dates
• Equitable remedy
• Stay of execution

Court Order Media

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  An example of a United Kingdom Crown Court order against the Secretary of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth office, in regards to the sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir.

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  In addition to requiring warnings on cigarette packages, courts have ordered warning statements such as this one on the front window of a convenience store in the US.