Rule 23.05 Stipulations

If you and the other side in a case agree on something and want the court to recognize it, you need to put that agreement in writing. This written agreement is called a stipulation. Both sides (or their lawyers) must sign it.

Once it's signed, you need to file it with the court clerk right away. This creates an official record of what both sides agreed to, so there's no confusion later about the terms of the deal.

The only exception is if the judge specifically orders something different. Otherwise, verbal agreements between parties won't count. Everything needs to be written down, signed, and filed properly to be official.