Legal Definitions - first-degree amendment

Definition: A first-degree amendment is a formal revision or addition proposed or made to a statute, constitution, pleading, order, or other instrument. It is a change made by addition, deletion, or correction, especially an alteration in wording.

Examples:

• Amendment as of course: An amendment that a party has a statutory right to apply for without the court's permission.
• Amendment on court's own motion: A change to a pleading or other document by the judge without a motion from a party.
• Nunc pro tunc amendment: An amendment that is given retroactive effect, usually by court order.
• Floor amendment: An amendment offered from the floor by an individual member, as distinguished from a committee amendment.

The examples illustrate how a first-degree amendment can be applied in different contexts, such as in court proceedings or parliamentary procedures. They show how an amendment can be made by a party or a judge, and how it can be proposed by an individual member or a committee. The purpose of a first-degree amendment is to make a formal revision or addition to an existing document or motion, and it can be made by adding, deleting, or correcting wording.