What Does ‘Disposed’ Mean in the Context of a Lawsuit?
‘Disposed’ generally means the case is over and done, but that’s a broad term. Let’s break this down so we can have a clear understanding of what a legal case being disposed of means.
The general meaning of ‘disposed’ in relation to a court case, is that the matter is closed, concluded, and no longer on the docket or up for reconsideration . While this is generally what disposed and disposition refer to in legal matters, it’s important to note that there may be an item or two in the order that are not dismissed but rather retained, pending further review or potential future rulings.
The term ‘disposed’ in a court case, broadly means that the matter has ended, or been concluded. The biggest value in the term is that it clearly communicates that a case is not ongoing and will not be revisited at the trial or appellate level.
Types of Dispositions in Litigation
Dismissal: This court disposition signifies that the case has been dismissed. There are many motions and factors that could lead to a case being dismissed, such as settlement between parties, a defendant or plaintiff not appearing on the trial date, or a defendant not entering a plea for a period of time. Any disposition that ends a case is called a dismissal, but obviously some dismissals could be with a ruling in favor of one party over another.
Settlement: This court disposition signifies that judicial disputes outside of court have been resolved. A settlement often comes into play when the daughter sues the father for damage to her car that she alleges he made. In this case, the court disposition may say "settled," meaning that the parties came to an agreement that avoided a trial.
Judgment: Courts across the United States have developed their own methods for deciding how cases will play out as the result of a trial. Some courts allow a jury to hear the case, while others have judges decide the outcome without a jury. If a jury is involved, the disposition of the case may result in a jury award.
Completion: This court disposition signifies that all legal matters pertaining to the case have been handled. Usually, a case is said to be "completed" when it has been disposed of. However, a case disposition can still be but under "statistical management" by the clerk of court’s office and remain open slightly longer. A case in this scenario has technically been disposed but is still considered pending by the clerk of court until its function within their system is finished.
Importance of a Disposed Case in the Judicial System
The term "disposed" refers to cases, and judicial proceedings in general, that have been decided. In the criminal context, it usually means either a guilty plea has been entered or a guilty verdict has been rendered. In civil cases, an order granting a Motion to Dismiss, Motion for Summary Judgment, Notice of Settlement Dismissal, or similar pleading disposes of the case.
In all prior instances, with few exceptions, the case is considered final. The prejudice that flows from having a case disposed is that the litigants cannot challenge or modify the disposition without further litigation. In the criminal context this means you cannot change your plea or the sentence imposed. In the civil context this means you cannot re-litigate the merits – at least until the Court agrees to set aside or "vacate" the judgment or Order disposing of your case. The finality is crucial because as cases move up the appellate path, one of the foundational principles of the legal process is the law of the case. This means a court cannot be burdened with the same issue – even if it was found persuasive the first time around.
Before you rush to the court of appeals – know there is more to litigating your case than appealing. For example, the timing for appeals can have a major impact on the appellate court’s ability to hear your case. For example, pending motions asking courts to decide issues still in the pipeline can have an impact. So too is the formal record created by the lower court’s findings. These issues work together to create what the legal profession has dubbed "pragmatic efficiency." Rather than flood the courts with appeals, the rule generally is that you have one shot on headline issues and one final chance to rectify any mistakes when the appeal reaches the appellate court. However – don’t let that lead you to believe you have no chance to gain relief after a case has been disposed of. You still have the ability to seek relief, albeit slightly more limited.
Effect of Case Disposition Upon Judicial Records
The concept of a case disposition is a crucial element in the realm of legal documentation. A case disposition indicates to legal professionals and even to the general public whether a matter has been resolved or continues to be active.
A case disposition impacts a number of the underlying legal records of any court case, including the court file, and the case record itself. The status of the case, that is whether it’s still going on (active), or if it’s resolved, is generally noted right on the front cover of the case file.
Case files are generally maintained in two formats: paper and/or electronic. In either case, the disposition of the case should be reflected on the front of the file.
The basic case information is maintained for the case file. This can include the title or names of the parties involved, the case number, and the style of the case, as well as the case file number.
What happens when the case is disposed? Simply put, the case file is closed. It is not destroyed, but rather is archived, either in a paper format, or, more frequently now, electronically. Similarly, the case record (the actual court record of what transpired in the case) will be updated to reflect the disposition.
So when a case is disposed, what is the status of the case file?
In the context of record management , a case is "in file" as long as the court file is still in the hands of the Records Management Division of the county courthouse. Once a case has been disposed, it is no longer in file, that is, it’s no longer in the physical control of the county courthouse. Rather, it will be moved to the court’s record management center for the appropriate county, where it will be retained for a period of several years.
The period of time varies depending on the area or jurisdiction of law involved, and also on the types of documents in the court file.
If a case is disposed and closed, but it is a case that has to do with real property (like some bankruptcy cases especially, eviction cases, deed restrictions, foreclosure, etc.), the case may be permanently required to be kept with the court clerk.
Not only is the case file closed, but the case record has a disposition notation as well. This may include the date of the disposition as well as the method of disposition (e.g. whether by judgment, settlement, dismissal, etc.). For example, a case may be disposed by way of dismissal, but the dismissal may be "with prejudice" (i.e. a dismissal final without further court jurisdiction) or "without prejudice" (i.e. meaning that the plaintiff may bring the same cause of action against the defendant, only this time presumably in another court location).
Common Questions Related to Disposed Cases
Whenever the Court is done with a case, it is listed in the database as having been disposed. By "disposed", the Court means that all issues have been resolved, whether by dismissal, summary judgment, judge’s trial decision, jury verdict, or settlement. The case will still show up in a search and be available to the public, but there will not be any opportunities to make motions or pursue appeals. The factor that dictates how quickly your case is disposed is whether or not the parties can agree to dispose of it. If they can, it will move quickly, because the judge only has to sign an order. The order will then go through the process called entry of judgment. At the District Court level, this involves a clerk (who may be a sheriff’s deputy) signing the judgment and putting a stamp on your order. At the Appellate level, the Judge signs it and then has clerks send it out. If the parties can’t agree to dispose of the case, we are likely up for a trial. Not all cases are disposed after trial; sometimes the case additionally has to go up on appeal. The more complicated a case, the longer this process can take. For example, a family law case often goes through the standard procedure as explained above, but the trial court also makes questions of law, which are the only issues that an appellate court can hear . In this type of case, you will first get a final judgment from the trial court, and after a certain time period passes, you will get an appellate judgment from the higher level court. It is up to the parties to push for the entry of judgment. A party is free to move the Court, post-trial, for the entry of judgment. If the parties are not able to agree on what to do with the case, they can either go through the appeals process to take their issue to higher-level courts. Often, issues relating to custody, child support, or visitation overlap with child neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Both district court judges and appellate court judges have the ability to rule on cases within their court. It is the responsibility of the parties to move the court to dispose of the case. They do not have to agree to do so, however; if there is any pending question, either at the trial level or at the appellate level, the case will not be disposed. If a party believes that their case was disposed improperly, they are free to object both at the trial level and at the appellate level. They can file their objections with the clerk of the court, and the court will enter and send an order, if appropriate.