Also known as: judicial orders · court order
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A written direction or command delivered by a court or judge that requires a party to take or refrain from a specified action. It resolves a subsidiary matter in a proceeding without disposing of the merits of the case.
Javier Jimenez is subpoenaed to testify in a criminal trial about a business transaction. The judge issues a judicial order compelling his appearance and testimony on the subject matter. When Jimenez still refuses to answer questions despite the order, the court treats him as unavailable under the evidence rules.
Joanna Jung represents a client in litigation and learns of a judicial order requiring production of certain documents. To comply with the order, Jung discloses limited client information that would otherwise be confidential. The disclosure is permitted because it fulfills the lawyer's duty to obey the judicial directive.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
After Jillian James and her former spouse divorce, a court order entered in the marital dissolution proceeding expressly preserves a life-insurance beneficiary designation in favor of the former spouse. Because the judicial order overrides the statutory revocation rule, the designation remains effective upon James's death.
Jada Jones believes her former landlord has wrongfully changed the locks on commercial premises she still claims. Because the circumstances create exceptional hardship if she must wait for a judicial order, Jones uses limited force to reenter immediately. The urgency exception excuses the need to obtain the order first.
Jefferson Trust holds assets for beneficiary Jason Jung. Jung's former spouse obtains a judicial order requiring payment of child support arrears. The court order permits the former spouse to reach the trust assets despite a spendthrift provision in the trust instrument.
Juarez Holdings, a limited partnership, petitions the court to expel general partner Judy Jacobs for misconduct. The court enters a judicial order expelling Jacobs under the partnership statute. The order terminates Jacobs's status as a general partner effective immediately.
Yes. A judicial order is a written direction or command delivered by a court or judge.
Supporting sources
Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a request for a court order must be made by motion that states the relief sought and the grounds for it.
A lawyer may reveal information relating to the representation of a client to comply with a court order.
A court order entered in a marital dissolution proceeding can expressly preserve a beneficiary designation that would otherwise be revoked by divorce under the probate code.
A spendthrift provision is unenforceable against a beneficiary's child, spouse, or former spouse who holds a judgment or court order for support or maintenance.
…woman is mature and capable of giving informed consent to the proposed abortion, and has, in fact, given such consent. "(d) Court order.—If the court determines that the pregnant woman is not mature and capable of giving informed consent or if the pregnant woman does not claim to be mature and capable of giving informed…