Entry of Orders

Fellow blogger Larry Primeaux had a good article yesterday located here dealing with the failure to enter an order.  In the case he posted about, it amounted to a $58,000 error.  I have actually noticed that as an ongoing problem in cases.  Many times I get hired on cases to come in as damage control as I call it to try and fix cases that have gotten off track.  Lots of times there are numerous motions that there were hearings on but with no orders entered.  For legal purposes, until there is an order entered nothing has actually happened.  This is why it is best to make orders nunc pro tunc ("now for then") when entered.  That way it goes back to the original time of ruling and covers the time period between then and entry of the order.  This is part of the reasons I bought a Microsoft Surface originally was to try to enter orders the same day of the hearing due to some attorneys who never return phone calls.