A court order is an official proclamation by a judge (or panel of judges) that defines the legal relationships between the parties before the court and requires or authorizes the carrying out of certain steps by one or more parties to a case. It can be a simple as setting a date for trial or as complex as restructuring contractual relationships by and between many corporations in a multi-jurisdictional dispute (i.e. different states or countries). It may be a final order (one that concludes the court action), or an interim order (one during the action). Most orders are written, and are signed by the judge. Some orders, however, are spoken orally by the judge in open court, and are only reduced to writing in the transcript of the proceedings. In legal parlance, a trial is an event in which parties to a dispute present information (in the form of evidence) in a formal setting, usually a court, before a judge, jury, or other designated finder of fact, in order to achieve a resolution to their dispute. ... A corporation is a legal person that exists quite separately from the natural persons who work with and for it. ... For the purposes of Public International Law and Private International Law, a state is a defined group of people, living within defined territorial boundaries and subject, more or less, to an autonomous legal system exercising jurisdiction through properly constituted courts. ... Transcript can have several meanings depending on the context used. ...

One kind of interim order is a temporary restraining order (TRO) to preserve the status quo. Such an order may later overturned or vacated during the litigation, or it may be a final order and judgment only subject to appeal. An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that either prohibits or compels (enjoins or restrains) a party from continuing a particular activity. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In the area of domestic violence courts will routinely issue a temporary order of protection (TOP) (or temporary protective order, TPO) to prevent any further violence or threat of violence. In family law temporary orders can also be called pendente lite relief and may include grants of temporary child custody, visitation, spousal support and maintenance. Domestic violence occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate or harm the other. ... Family Law was a television drama starring Kathleen Quinlan as a divorced lawyer who attempted to start her own law firm after her lawyer husband took all their old clients. ... Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are sometimes used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parents duty to care for the child. ... Visitation can mean several things: In the United States, visitation is the legal term for the right of a non-custodial parent to visit with their children: see access. ... In many countries alimony, maintenance or spousal support is an obligation established by law that is based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage (or civil union) unless they are legally separated, though in some instances the obligation to support... In many countries alimony, maintenance or spousal support is an obligation established by law that is based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage (or civil union) unless they are legally separated, though in some instances the obligation to support...

See also

• Injunction
• Gag order