Rule 375.Motion to Correct Clerical Mistakes
Last verified July 1, 2026
Full Text of Rule 375
Plain-English Summary
Rule 375 gives a child support magistrate a narrow tool for fixing mistakes that were never meant to be part of the order in the first place: a wrong date carried over from a form, a typo in a name, or an arithmetic slip in a support calculation. It reaches orders for temporary support as well as final decisions. The magistrate can act without anyone asking, or a party can bring the request as a motion, and there is no cutoff date for doing so — the mistake can be corrected whenever someone notices it, as long as every party gets notice first.
The rule does not let a party reopen an order because they disagree with the outcome; that route runs through a motion for review under Rule 376, not this one. A motion to correct clerical mistakes must be filed in good faith and not as a stalling tactic, and Rule 377 sets out how to bring it. The same magistrate who issued the order normally decides the motion, though the court administrator can hand it to another magistrate in the district if the original one is not available. Once a party has already taken the case up to the court of appeals under Rule 378, that changes: the magistrate can no longer fix even a clerical slip without the appellate court’s own order allowing it.
A party who wants both a correction and a broader second look can combine this motion with a motion for review under Rule 376.01 into a single filing, due within the same window Rule 377.02 sets for a motion for review. Either the original magistrate or, if a party asks, a district court judge can decide that combined motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a clerical mistake under Rule 375?
It covers small, mechanical slips that were never intended to be part of the order — a wrong name carried over from a form, a date entered incorrectly, or a math error in a support calculation. It is not a way to challenge the magistrate’s reasoning or the outcome itself.
Is there a deadline for filing a motion to correct clerical mistakes?
No fixed deadline applies. Rule 375 allows the correction at any time, and Rule 377 asks only that the party bring the motion as soon as practicable after finding the error.
Can the magistrate fix a clerical mistake without a motion from either party?
Yes. Rule 375 lets the magistrate correct the error on their own initiative, without waiting for a party to ask, as long as every party receives notice of the change.
What happens to a motion to correct clerical mistakes once a case is on appeal?
The magistrate loses the power to make the correction alone. Once an appeal to the court of appeals is pending under Rule 378, only that court’s own order can authorize the magistrate to fix the mistake.
Can a motion to correct clerical mistakes be combined with a motion for review?
Yes. Rule 375.04 allows a party to combine the two into one filing, and either the original magistrate or a district court judge, at a party’s request, can decide it.