Court Order
An official written decision or command issued by a judge that the parties must follow.
A court order is a judge’s official directive that requires people to do something or stop doing something. Court orders can address nearly anything relevant to a case – custody arrangements, payment of money, property division, restraining orders, and more.
Court orders can be temporary (lasting until a hearing or trial) or final (resolving the case). They carry the full weight of the law, and violating a court order can result in contempt of court.
Why it matters: Once a judge issues a court order, you must follow it, even if you disagree with it. If you believe the order is wrong, the proper step is to file a motion asking the court to change it or to appeal – not to ignore it.
Example: During a divorce, the judge issues a temporary order granting one parent primary custody of the children and requiring the other parent to pay temporary child support. Both parents must follow this order until the court changes it or the case is finalized.
Throughout a court case -- temporary orders, final orders, protective orders