Rule 55.Agreements
Current through December 29, 2025 · Last verified July 8, 2026
Full Text of Rule 55
Amendment History
[Amended by order adopted November 27, 2001, effective January 1, 2002.]
Plain-English Summary
Agreements between parties are reduced to writing, signed by all parties, and incorporated in an order. An agreement that stays informal does not bind anyone; the order is what carries it.
The rule accommodates the deal struck at the courthouse door. An agreement reached on the date of a hearing, if not in writing, is dictated into the record at the hearing in the presence of all parties — so the terms are captured while everyone is there to hear them.
Child support gets an extra step. The court must hold a hearing to review all agreements with child support provisions, which sits alongside Rule 44's requirement that the court test a mediated agreement against the children's best interests and run the support calculations before adopting it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How must an agreement be recorded?
Reduced to writing, signed by all parties, and incorporated in an order.
What about an agreement reached on the hearing day?
If not in writing, it must be dictated into the record at the hearing in the presence of all parties.
Is a hearing required for every agreement?
The court must hold a hearing to review all agreements with child support provisions.
Does an unincorporated agreement bind the parties?
The rule requires agreements to be incorporated in an order. For mediated agreements, Rule 43(c) states expressly that the agreement has no binding legal effect until adopted by court order.
Who must sign?
All parties.