Legal Definitions - minute order

Definition: A written direction or command delivered by a court or judge that is recorded in the minutes of the court. It can be a final decree or an interlocutory direction or command that adjudicates a preliminary point or directs some step in the proceedings.

Example: When a judge makes an oral order during a trial, the only record of that order may be in the minutes. This is referred to as a minute order. Another example is an order adopting a local rule of court, which is not directly related to a case but is recorded in the minutes as a court order.

Explanation: Minute orders are important because they serve as a record of the court's decisions and actions. They can be used as evidence in future proceedings and can be appealed if necessary. Minute orders can be final decrees or interlocutory directions or commands that are issued during the course of a trial or other legal proceeding. They are recorded in the minutes of the court, which are official records of the proceedings. Minute orders can be oral or written, but they must be recorded in the minutes to be considered a court order.