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Miss. R. Civ. P. 58

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Rule 58 Entry of Judgment

Chapter VII: Judgment

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Rule Text

Every judgment shall be set forth on a separate document which bears the title of “Judgment.” However, a judgment which fully adjudicates the claim as to all parties and which has been entered as provided in M.R.C.P. 79(a) shall, in the absence of prejudice to a party, have the force and finality of a judgment even if it is not properly titled. A judgment shall be effective only when entered as provided in M.R.C.P. 79(a).

[Amended effective July 1, 2001; amended effective May 27, 2004 to address finality of improperly titled judgment.]

Amendment history: Adopted August 21, 1996.

Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)

This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.

A judgment needs to be written on its own separate document, and that document has to be labeled "Judgment." Courts follow this practice so everyone involved knows clearly when a final decision has been made, instead of having to guess based on comments made during a hearing or buried in a longer written opinion.

That said, the rule allows some flexibility. If a document fully resolves all the claims for all the parties in the case, and it gets properly entered into the court record, it still counts as a valid and final judgment even if someone forgot to label it "Judgment." The only catch is that this flexibility only applies if no one is harmed or unfairly disadvantaged by the missing title.

The most important part of this rule is timing. A judgment does not become official or enforceable just because a judge signed it. It only becomes effective once it is actually entered into the court record the way the rules require. This matters a lot for things like deadlines to appeal, since those clocks typically start running from the date of entry, not the date of signing.

Committee Notes

Advisory Committee Historical Note

Effective July 1, 1994, a new Rule 58 was adopted. 632-635 So.2d XXXII-XXXIII (West Miss.Cases 1994).

Advisory Committee Notes

The “entry” of the judgment is the ministerial notation of the judgment by the clerk of the court pursuant to Rules 58 and 79(a); however, it is crucial to the effectiveness of the judgment and for measuring time periods for appeal and the filing of various motions.

The date of entry of judgment is significant because certain post-trial motions must be filed within 10 days after entry of judgment. They include: (i) a motion for j.n.o.v. pursuant to M.R.C.P. 50(b); (ii) a motion to amend findings or make additional findings of fact pursuant to M.R.C.P. 52(b); (iii) a motion for new trial pursuant to M.R.C.P. 59; and (iv) a motion to alter or amend the judgment pursuant to M.R.C.P. 59(e). The trial court may not extend the 10-day period in which to file these post-trial motions. M.R.C.P. 6 (b). The time in which certain Rule 60(b) motions must be made also begins after entry of judgment.

In addition, M.R.A.P. 4(a) provides that a notice of appeal from a final judgment in chancery court or circuit court (one that resolves all claims among all parties) shall be filed within 30 days after entry of judgment. If a party files: (i) a motion for j.n.o.v. pursuant to M.R.C.P. 50(b); (ii) a motion to amend findings or make additional findings of fact pursuant to M.R.C.P. 52(b); (iii) a motion for new trial pursuant to M.R.C.P. 59; (iv) a motion to alter or amend the judgment pursuant to M.R.C.P. 59(e); or (v) a motion for relief pursuant to M.R.C.P. 60 within 10 days after entry of judgment, the time for appeal runs from the entry

of the order disposing of the last such outstanding motion rather than the entry of judgment. See M.R.A.P. 4(d).

[Advisory Committee Note adopted effective July 1, 2014, amended effective January 16, 2020.]

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