Rule 58.Entering Judgment

Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 58 requires every judgment to be set out in a separate document and entered on the docket by the clerk, which fixes when a judgment takes effect and when the clocks for appeal and for post-trial motions begin to run.

Full Text of Rule 58

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(a) Separate Document. Every judgment and amended judgment must be set out in a separate document, but a separate document is not required for an order disposing of a motion:

(1) for judgment under Rule 50(b);

(2) to amend or make additional findings under Rule 52(b);

(3) for attorney's fees under Rule 54;

(4) for a new trial, or to alter or amend the judgment, under Rule 59; or

(5) for relief under Rule 60.

(b) Entering Judgment.

(1) Without the Court's Direction. Subject to Rule 54(b) and unless the court orders otherwise, the clerk must, without awaiting the court's direction, promptly prepare, sign, and enter the judgment when:

(A) the jury returns a general verdict;

(B) the court awards only costs or a sum certain; or

(2) Court's Approval Required. Subject to Rule 54(b), the court must promptly approve the form of the judgment, which the clerk must promptly enter, when:

(A) the jury returns a special verdict or a general verdict with answers to written questions; or

(B) the court grants other relief not described in this subdivision (b).

(1) if a separate document is not required, when the judgment is entered in the civil docket under Rule 79(a); or

(2) if a separate document is required, when the judgment is entered in the civil docket under Rule 79(a) and the earlier of these events occurs:

(A) it is set out in a separate document; or

(B) 150 days have run from the entry in the civil docket.

(d) Request for Entry. A party may request that judgment be set out in a separate document as required by Rule 58(a).

(e) Cost or Fee Awards. Ordinarily, the entry of judgment may not be delayed, nor the time for appeal extended, in order to tax costs or award fees. But if a timely motion for attorney's fees is made under Rule 54(d)(2), the court may act before a notice of appeal has been filed and become effective to order that the motion have the same effect under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a)(4) as a timely motion under Rule 59.

End

Amendment History

(Amended December 27, 1946, effective March 19, 1948; January 21, 1963, effective July 1, 1963; April 22, 1993, effective December 1, 1993; April 29, 2002, effective December 1, 2002; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 58 makes the moment of judgment precise. With limited exceptions — such as orders deciding post-trial motions — every judgment must be set out in a separate document, distinct from the court’s opinion or memorandum, and the clerk must promptly enter it in the civil docket.

A judgment is treated as “entered” when it is both set out in the required separate document and recorded in the docket; if a separate document is required but never prepared, entry is deemed to occur 150 days after the docket entry, so the case does not hang open forever. Because entry starts the deadlines for appeal and for Rule 50, 52, 59, and 60 motions, the separate-document rule mainly serves to tell everyone exactly when those clocks begin. A party may ask the court to set the judgment out in a separate document.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is a judgment “entered” in federal court?

When it is set out in the required separate document and recorded in the civil docket; if no separate document is ever prepared, entry is deemed to occur 150 days after the docket entry (Rule 58(c)).

What is the separate-document rule?

Rule 58(a) requires most judgments to be set out in their own document, apart from the court’s opinion, so the date of entry — and the resulting deadlines — is clear.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 58), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 58Fed. R. Civ. P. 58entering judgmentseparate document ruleentry of judgment