Rule 802.Judgments

Part VIII. Judgments; Post-Decree and Post-Judgment Proceedings · Last amended July 1, 2021 · Last verified September 4, 2026

In one sentenceRule 802 requires a judgment to be a separate document beginning with a set phrase and containing no reasoning, and governs partial and amended judgments.

Full Text of Rule 802

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

(a) Definition and Form of Judgment.

(1) “Judgment” means a separate document entitled "Judgment" or "Decree". A judgment must state the relief to which a party is entitled on one or more claims for relief in the action, which may include dismissal with or without prejudice. A judgment must not contain a recital of pleadings, the report of a master, the record of prior proceedings, the court's legal reasoning, findings of fact, or conclusions of law. A judgment is final if either it is a partial judgment that has been certified as final pursuant to subsection (b)(1) or judgment has been entered on all claims for relief, except costs and fees, asserted by or against all parties in the action. A judgment or partial judgment must begin with the words “JUDGMENT IS ENTERED AS FOLLOWS…,” and it must not contain any other wording between those words and the caption. A judgment may include any findings of fact or conclusions of law expressly required by statute, rule, or regulation.

(2) Amended Judgments. If the court orders an amendment to a judgment, the amendment will be effective only after the court enters an amended judgment setting forth all of the terms of the new judgment, including those terms of the prior judgment that remain in effect.

(3) Modification Judgments.

(A) Modification Granted. If the court modifies child custody, child support, or spousal maintenance provisions in a prior judgment, the modification will be effective only after the court enters a modification judgment setting forth all of the terms of the new judgment. The judgment may identify and refer to the prior judgment and need not include the provisions of the prior judgment that were not modified.

(B) Modification Denied. If the court denies the petition to modify, the court must enter a judgment denying the requested modification.

(b) Partial Judgment on Multiple Claims or Involving Multiple Parties.

(1) Certificate of Partial Judgment as Final. When an action presents more than one claim for relief, whether as a claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, or when multiple parties are involved, the court may direct entry of a final judgment as to one or more, but fewer than all, claims or parties only if the court expressly determines that there is no just reason for delay. Otherwise, any judgment, however designated, that adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties does not end the action as to any of the claims or parties and may be revised at any time before the entry of a judgment adjudicating all the claims and all the parties' rights and liabilities.

(2) Form. In the event the court determines that a partial judgment should be certified as final under this rule, the court must execute a certificate which must immediately follow the court's signature on the partial judgment and be in substantially the form found in Appendix C.

(3) Jurisdiction if Appealed after Certificate of Final Judgment. If a Certificate of Final Judgment is issued on a partial judgment and an appeal is filed, the court retains jurisdiction to take any actions and rule upon any matters unaffected by the Rule 802(b) judgment, including conducting a trial of these issues remaining in the case, except as provided in Idaho Appellate Rules 13and 13.4.

(c) Demand for Judgment. A default judgment must not differ in kind from, or exceed in amount, what is demanded in the pleadings. Every other final judgment should grant the relief to which each party is entitled, even if the party has not demanded that relief in its pleadings.

(d) Entry of Judgment. Every judgment, modification judgment, and amended judgment must be set forth on a separate document. The filing of a judgment by the court as provided in Rule 205 or 809, or the placing of the clerk's filing stamp on the judgment constitutes the entry of the judgment, and the judgment is not effective before such entry. The entry of the judgment must not be delayed for the taxing of costs.

End

Rule History

(Adopted March 29, 2021, effective July 1, 2021.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 802 is unusually prescriptive about form, and the reason is appellate: the document's shape is what tells everyone when the clock started.

What a judgment is

A separate document entitled "Judgment" or "Decree", stating the relief to which a party is entitled on one or more claims — which may include dismissal with or without prejudice.

And what it must not contain: a recital of pleadings, a master's report, the record of prior proceedings, the court's legal reasoning, findings of fact, or conclusions of law. Those belong in the Rule 801 memorandum decision, not here.

The form requirement is exact. A judgment or partial judgment must begin with the words "JUDGMENT IS ENTERED AS FOLLOWS…" and must contain no other wording between those words and the caption. It may include findings or conclusions expressly required by statute, rule, or regulation.

Final

A judgment is final if it is either a partial judgment certified as final under subsection (b)(1), or judgment has been entered on all claims, except costs and fees, asserted by or against all parties. Unresolved costs and fees do not hold up finality.

Amendments and modifications

An ordered amendment is effective only after the court enters an amended judgment setting forth all the terms of the new judgment, including the terms of the prior judgment that remain in effect. The amended judgment must stand alone.

Modification judgments work almost the same way but with one concession: a judgment modifying custody, support or maintenance must set forth all the terms of the new judgment, but may identify and refer to the prior judgment and need not repeat what was not modified. And if the court denies a petition to modify, it must enter a judgment denying it — the denial gets its own judgment, so the appeal clock is unambiguous.

Partial judgments

Where an action presents more than one claim or multiple parties, the court may direct entry of final judgment on fewer than all only if it expressly determines there is no just reason for delay. Otherwise such a judgment, however designated, does not end the action and may be revised at any time before a judgment adjudicating everything.

Certification requires a certificate immediately following the court's signature, substantially in the form of Appendix C. If it is certified and appealed, the court retains jurisdiction over matters unaffected, including trying the remaining issues, except as Idaho Appellate Rules 13 and 13.4 provide.

Demand, and entry

A default judgment must not differ in kind from, or exceed in amount, what is demanded in the pleadings. Every other final judgment should grant the relief to which each party is entitled, even if not demanded.

Entry occurs on the court's filing of the judgment under Rule 205 or 809, or on the clerk's filing stamp — and the judgment is not effective before entry. Entry must not be delayed for the taxing of costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has to be in a judgment?

Rule 802(a)(1) requires a separate document entitled Judgment or Decree stating the relief to which a party is entitled, beginning with the words JUDGMENT IS ENTERED AS FOLLOWS with no other wording between those words and the caption, and containing no recital of pleadings, record of prior proceedings, legal reasoning, findings of fact or conclusions of law.

When is a judgment final?

Rule 802(a)(1) makes a judgment final if it is a partial judgment certified as final under Rule 802(b)(1), or if judgment has been entered on all claims for relief, except costs and fees, asserted by or against all parties.

Does a modification judgment have to repeat the old terms?

No. Rule 802(a)(3)(A) requires a modification judgment to set forth all the terms of the new judgment, but allows it to identify and refer to the prior judgment without including provisions that were not modified.

What if my modification petition is denied?

Rule 802(a)(3)(B) requires the court to enter a judgment denying the requested modification.

Can part of a case be appealed before the rest is decided?

Only with certification. Rule 802(b)(1) allows entry of final judgment on fewer than all claims or parties only if the court expressly determines that there is no just reason for delay, and Rule 802(b)(2) requires a certificate substantially in the form found in Appendix C.

When does a judgment take effect?

Rule 802(d) provides that the filing of the judgment by the court under Rule 205 or 809, or the placing of the clerk's filing stamp on it, constitutes entry, and the judgment is not effective before entry. Entry must not be delayed for the taxing of costs.

Source & verification. Rule text and Rule History reproduced verbatim from the Idaho Rules of Family Law Procedure as published by the Idaho Supreme Court, current through amendments effective July 1, 2026. Promulgated by the Supreme Court of Idaho (Idaho Const. art. V, sec. 25). Last verified September 4, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: judgmentdecreefinal judgmentpartial judgmentmodification judgmentamended judgmententry of judgmentAppendix C