Rule 42.05 Stipulations

When both sides in a case agree on something, that agreement is called a stipulation. This rule says the agreement has to be written down. It cannot just be a verbal understanding between the parties.

The people involved, or their lawyers, must sign the written agreement. After it's signed, it needs to be filed with the court clerk right away. This keeps an official record of what both sides agreed to.

There's one exception. If a judge orders something different, the parties can follow the judge's instructions instead. But unless that happens, the written, signed, and filed agreement is what's required.