This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
When an alternate trial judge handles a case and comes up with a judgment, that decision isn't final right away. A regular district court judge has to look it over and approve it first.
The way this approval shows up is through a signature. The district court judge must sign an order that approves the proposed judgment, or sign off on a post-judgment order that gets entered in the district court. Until that signature happens, the proposed judgment has no real legal effect. It's basically a recommendation waiting for official sign-off, not a final decision that either side can act on or appeal.
For anyone involved in a case like this, this means you need to wait for that final approval before the judgment counts. If you're checking on the status of your case, look for that district court judge's signature on an official order. That's the moment the judgment actually becomes real and enforceable.
