The Better Chancery Practice Blog

Lawyers come before us with agreed orders that read something like this: “On motion of the plaintiff ore tenus, the parties agree that …” and the order goes on to spell out some relief.

Ore tenus, of course is Latin for “by word of mouth,” which means that the motion is made orally, and not in writing.

MRCP 7(b)(1) speaks directly to this:

An application to the court for an order shall be by motion which, unless made during a hearing or trial, shall be made in writing, shall state with particularity the grounds therefor, and shall set forth the relief or order sought. The requirement of a writing is fulfilled if the motion is stated in a written notice of the hearing of the motion.

The rule could not be any clearer. You must file a motion in writing asking for particular relief, and you may then follow it up with that agreed order. As I tell lawyers all the time: “Give me an agreed order signed off on by everyone, or set it for hearing.”

There are all kinds of reasons why this is the best practice. The chief one in my opinion is that it makes for a clear record. A motion is filed, and later there is a corresponding order. In fiduciary matters that motion signed and sworn by the fiduciary may be what stands between you and an inquiry by a reviewing court as to whether you have done something improper, as in the case at this link. The written motion also documents for the record exactly what it was that the court was called upon to do and that notice was given.

The one and only exception to the writing requirement is that the motion may be made orally in the course of a hearing or trial. The significance of that exception is that there is a record of what the court is being called upon to do, followed by the court’s immediate or even later ruling. My thinking is that the rule refers to hearings on the record, as opposed to informal hearings or discussions in chambers or even in the courtroom without a record. In those situations, the court should direct someone to file a written motion complying with R7(b)(1) and set it for hearing.