In an action decided by the court, on motion of any party filed within ten days after entry of judgment, the court may open the judgment to receive additional evidence, may amend its findings or its statement of reasons for the decision, may set forth additional findings or reasons, may enter new findings or new reasons, may amend the judgment, or may enter a new judgment. A motion to alter or amend a judgment may be joined with a motion for new trial. A motion to alter or amend a judgment filed after the announcement or signing by the trial court of a judgment but before entry of the judgment on the docket shall be treated as filed on the same day as, but after, the entry on the docket. Cross references. — See Rule 8-205 requiring notice to the Clerk of the Appellate Court of information not disclosed in a Civil Appeal Information Report regarding the filing of a motion under this Rule, or its withdrawal or disposition.
Rule 2-534.Motion to alter or amend a judgment — Court decision
Circuit Court · Last amended July 1, 2023 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2-534 lets a party ask the judge who decided a nonjury case to reopen the judgment, take more evidence, or rewrite the findings, within ten days after judgment.
Full Text of Rule 2-534
Amendment History
Amended Apr. 7, 1986, effective July 1, 1986; Oct. 31, 2002, effective Jan. 1, 2003; Nov. 12, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004; May 8, 2007, effective July 1, 2007; April 21, 2023, effective July 1, 2023.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 2-534 applies only to actions the court itself decided, without a jury. Any party can move, within ten days after entry of judgment, to have the court revisit its own decision. The court's options are broad: it can open the judgment back up to take additional evidence, amend its findings or its stated reasons, add findings or reasons it left out, replace its findings or reasons with new ones, amend the judgment, or enter an entirely new judgment. That range gives a judge who tried the case room to correct or refine a decision without forcing the parties through a full new trial.
A motion to alter or amend can be joined with a motion for new trial, so a party doesn't have to choose between the two theories or file twice. And the same timing fix that applies elsewhere in this chapter applies here: a motion filed after the court announces or signs the judgment but before the clerk enters it on the docket is treated as filed the same day as the docket entry, just after it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rule 2-534 apply to jury trials?
No. It applies only to actions the court decided itself, without a jury.
What can the court do in response to a motion to alter or amend?
It can open the judgment to receive more evidence, amend or add to its findings or stated reasons, replace its findings or reasons with new ones, amend the judgment, or enter a new judgment altogether.
Can I combine a motion to alter or amend with a motion for new trial?
Yes. Rule 2-534 lets the two motions be joined.
How long do I have to file a motion to alter or amend a judgment?
Ten days after entry of judgment.
What if I file the motion before the judgment is entered on the docket?
It still counts. A motion filed after the judgment is announced or signed but before docket entry is treated as filed the same day as, but after, that entry.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
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