enter a judgment

Enter a judgment means to make the final official recording of a court’s decision and, if applicable, the accompanying opinion. The point at which entry is complete varies by jurisdiction, but it generally occurs when the decision is entered into the docket or transmitted to the appropriate court official. In many jurisdictions, a clerk must enter the judgment before it can be appealed. After entry, the clerk is typically required to provide the parties with a copy of the judgment and any opinion.

[Last reviewed in September of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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