54.01 Definition; Form Judgment as used in these rules includes a decree and means the final determination of the rights of the parties in an action or proceeding. A judgment shall not contain a recital of pleadings, the report of a referee, or the record of prior proceedings.
Rule 54.Judgments; Costs
Last amended July 1, 2015 · Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 54 defines what counts as a judgment, explains when a court can enter final judgment on only part of a case, and sets the procedure for recovering costs and disbursements after winning.
Full Text of Rule 54
54.02 Judgment upon Multiple Claims When multiple claims for relief or multiple parties are involved in an action, the court may direct the entry of a final judgment as to one or more but fewer than all of the claims or parties only upon an express determination that there is no just reason for delay and upon an express direction for the entry of judgment. In the absence of such determination and direction, any order or other form of decision, however designated, which adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer than all the parties shall not terminate the action as to any of the claims or parties, and the order or other form of decision is subject to revision at any time before the entry of judgment adjudicating all the claims and the rights and liabilities of all the parties.
54.03 Demand for Judgment A judgment by default shall not be different in kind from or exceed in amount that prayed for in the demand for judgment. Except as to a party against whom a judgment is entered by default, every other judgment shall grant the relief to which the party in whose favor it is rendered is entitled.
54.04 Costs
a Costs and disbursements allowed. Costs and disbursements shall be allowed as provided by law.
b Application for costs and disbursements. A party seeking to recover costs and disbursements must serve and file a detailed sworn application for taxation of costs and disbursements with the court administrator, substantially in the form as published by the State Court Administrator. The application must be signed under oath or penalty of perjury pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 358.116, and must be served and filed not later than 45 days after entry of a final judgment as to the party seeking costs and disbursements. A party may, but is not required to, serve and file a memorandum of law with an application for taxation of costs and disbursements.
c Objections. Not later than 7 days after service of the application by any party, any other party may file a separate application as in section (b), above, or may file written objections to the award of any costs or disbursements sought by any other party, specifying the grounds for each objection.
d Decision. Costs and disbursements may be taxed by the court administrator or a district court judge at any time after all parties have been allowed an opportunity to file applications and to object to the application of any other party as provided in this rule. The judge or court administrator may tax any costs and disbursements allowed by law.
e Review by Judge. If costs and disbursements are taxed by the court administrator, any party aggrieved by the action of the court administrator may serve and file a notice of appeal not later than 7 days after the court administrator serves notice of taxation on all parties. Any other party may file a response to the appeal not later than 7 days after the appeal is served.
The appeal shall thereupon be decided by a district court judge and determined upon the record before the court administrator.
f Judgment for Costs. When costs and disbursements have been determined, whether by a district court judge or by the court administrator with no appeal taken to a district court judge, they shall promptly be inserted in the judgment.
Advisory Committee Comments
Advisory Committee Comments—2015 Amendments
Rule 54.04 is amended to implement a new statute directing the courts to consider accepting documents without notarization if they are signed under the following language: “I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.” Minn. Stat. § 358.116 (2014) (codifying 2014 Minn. Laws ch. 204, § 3). The statute allows the courts to require specifically by rule that notarization is necessary, but the difficulty in accomplishing and documenting notarization for documents that are e-filed and e-served militates against requiring formal notarization. Accordingly, cost applications may be signed by the party under penalty of perjury, so long as the appropriate language is included above the party’s signature. The rule also requires inclusion of the date of signing and the county and state where signed to provide information necessary to establish the fact and venue of possible perjury; this information is otherwise provided by notarization. Rule 15 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice provides that documents signed in accordance with its terms constitute “affidavits.”
Amendment History
- (Amended effective July 1, 2015.)
Plain-English Summary
A judgment is the final determination of the parties’ rights in a case, and Rule 54 says it cannot include a recap of the pleadings, a referee’s report, or the record of prior proceedings. When a case involves multiple claims or multiple parties, the court generally cannot enter final judgment on only some of them unless it expressly finds there is no just reason for delay and expressly directs that judgment be entered. Without that express finding and direction, any order deciding fewer than all the claims or all the parties’ rights does not end the case as to those claims or parties, and can still be revised any time before a final judgment covering everything is entered.
The rule also limits what a default judgment can award: it cannot be different in kind from, or larger in amount than, what the demand for judgment asked for. Every other type of judgment, aside from a default judgment, has to grant the relief the winning party is entitled to under the case.
Costs and disbursements are recoverable as provided by law, and Rule 54 lays out the mechanics for claiming them. The winning party must serve and file a sworn application for taxation of costs, using substantially the form the state court administrator has published, no later than 45 days after entry of final judgment. Another party has 7 days after that application is served to file objections or a competing application. The court administrator or a judge can then tax the costs once everyone has had a chance to apply or object. If the court administrator taxes the costs, any party unhappy with that decision can appeal to a district judge by serving and filing notice within 7 days after the administrator serves notice of the taxation, and once costs are finally determined, they get added into the judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a judgment under Minnesota’s civil procedure rules?
A judgment includes a decree and means the final determination of the rights of the parties in an action or proceeding, and it may not include a recital of the pleadings, a referee’s report, or the record of prior proceedings.
Can a court enter judgment on one claim alone in a case with several claims?
Only if the court expressly determines there is no just reason for delay and expressly directs entry of judgment on that claim; otherwise, a decision on fewer than all claims or parties does not end the case and can still be revised before final judgment.
Can I get more than what I asked for if the other side defaults?
No, a default judgment cannot be different in kind from or exceed in amount what was demanded in the demand for judgment.
How do I recover my costs after winning a Minnesota lawsuit?
You must serve and file a sworn application for taxation of costs and disbursements with the court administrator, in substantially the published form, no later than 45 days after entry of final judgment.
What if I disagree with the costs the other side is claiming?
You have 7 days after the application is served on you to file a separate application or written objections specifying the grounds for each objection.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Committee Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
official Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure (Minn. R. Civ. P. 54). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 480.051). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: taxation of costsfinal judgment
Advisory Committee Comment—2010 Amendment
Rule 54.04 is amended both to clarify its operation and to improve the procedure for taxing costs by the court administrator and the review of those decisions by the district court judge. The amended process is commenced by filing an application on a form established by the State Court Administrator and made available on the Judicial Branch website (or in substantially the same form).