order
A decision issued by a court or authoritative body. This includes final and non-final orders issued by a court. Also known as court order or judicial order. Outside of judicial orders, the executive branch has the power to issue executive orders.
For a court to issue an order, they must have jurisdiction over the parties. Orders issued by a lower level court may be appealed to an appellate court. For example, in federal court, a party may appeal a district court’s order to a circuit court. Also in federal court, magistrate judges may issue non-dispositive orders. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1).
Courts may issue, among others, the following types of orders:
- Cease and desist order
- Restraining order
- Temporary restraining order
- Interim order
- Order to show cause
- Order of examination
- Emergency protective order
- Writ
- Visitation order
- Stayaway order
- Gag order
- Money order
[Last reviewed in August of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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