Civil procedure

Stipulation

A stipulation is a written agreement between the parties about some part of the case, filed so the court can rely on it.

Parties stipulate to extend deadlines, to the authenticity of documents, to facts that are not worth fighting about, and to the dismissal of claims. It saves everyone the cost of proving things nobody disputes.

Most stipulations need the judge's signature to take effect, which is why the docket often shows the stipulation and then a separate order approving it. A stipulation of dismissal signed by all parties can end a case with no order at all.

Not every stipulation is agreeable. Courts sometimes reject stipulated schedule changes that would push a trial date, and a stipulation extending deadlines repeatedly can draw an order requiring an explanation. Judges also treat a party's stipulations as binding admissions, so agreeing that a document is authentic or that a deadline has passed cannot quietly be taken back later in the case.