{"id":395736,"date":"2026-04-28T14:29:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/?page_id=395736"},"modified":"2026-04-28T15:20:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:20:57","slug":"stay-of-judgment-how-to-stop-enforcement-of-a-court-order","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/stay-of-judgment-how-to-stop-enforcement-of-a-court-order.html","title":{"rendered":"Stay of Judgment: How To Stop Enforcement of a Court Order"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Stay of Judgment: How To Stop Enforcement of a Court Order<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/susan-buckner-j-d\/\">Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/catherine-hodder-esq\/\">Catherine Hodder, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            April 28, 2026\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <ul>\n<li>A <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span> is a <span data-term-id=\"57836350\">court order<\/span> that temporarily halts the enforcement of a legal decision or jury verdict.<\/li>\n<li>This order maintains the <span data-term-id=\"57836374\">status quo<\/span>, protecting a party from irreparable harm while pursuing an appeal, <span data-term-id=\"57836352\">new trial<\/span>, or negotiations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div><p>After a <span data-term-id=\"57836347\">trial court<\/span> issues a judgment, the result is intended to be a final decision. A judgment could be an order to pay money, an order to leave an apartment, or a declaration of bankruptcy. But that isn\u2019t always the end of the case.<\/p>\n<p>If the losing party in the case disputes the verdict or needs more time to pay, they can appeal the decision. A <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span> halts enforcement of the order and gives the losing party time to file.<\/p>\n<p>Civil procedure is complex. If you aren&#8217;t a legal professional, you may not know your options, including whether to request a stay. That&#8217;s why relying on the guidance of a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">litigation attorney<\/a> is a good idea during a civil dispute or legal process.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Types of Stays and When They\u2019re Needed<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span> suspends the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/trial-and-verdict.html\"><span data-term-id=\"57836350\">court order<\/span> or jury finding<\/a> and maintains the <span data-term-id=\"57836374\">status quo<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>During the stay, the prevailing party cannot execute the judgment, but the losing party cannot proceed as if they won. For instance, in an eviction case, the landlord cannot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/landlord-tenant-law\/the-eviction-process-faq.html\">evict the tenant<\/a>, but the tenant may not be able to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/landlord-tenant-law\/tenant-eviction-what-you-should-know-as-a-renter.html\">remain in the dwelling<\/a> once the stay is lifted.<\/p>\n<p>Courts grant stays so that the losing party can file an appeal, request a <span data-term-id=\"57836352\">new trial<\/span>, or continue negotiating with creditors. Some stays require the party to post a <span data-term-id=\"57836346\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/supersedeas.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supersedeas<\/a> bond<\/span> as <span data-term-id=\"57836364\">surety<\/span> while the stay is in effect. This bond will be described below.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take a closer look at each type of stay.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-term-id=\"57836373\">Stay Pending Appeal<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-term-id=\"57836373\">Stays pending appeal<\/span> are the most common form of stay. A party can request a stay while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/appealing-a-court-decision-or-judgment.html\">seeking<span data-term-id=\"57836371\">\u00a0an appeal<\/span><\/a> so they don\u2019t have to follow the court\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n<p>These types of stays are often seen in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/what-is-injunctive-relief.html\">injunctive cases<\/a>, where an order requires the losing party to perform an act. The stay suspends <span data-term-id=\"57836376\">enforcement of the judgment<\/span> until the <span data-term-id=\"57836344\">appellate court<\/span> reviews the case.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bankruptcy Stays<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Upon filing a bankruptcy petition, an \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/bankruptcy\/what-is-bankruptcy\/the-automatic-stay-stopping-creditors-with-bankruptcy.html\"><span data-term-id=\"57836343\">automatic stay<\/span><\/a>\u201d freezes the debtor\u2019s funds and prevents creditors from seizing them. Bankruptcy stays <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/bankruptcy\/what-is-bankruptcy\/pros-and-cons-of-declaring-bankruptcy.html\">protect debtors<\/a> while they continue negotiating with creditors.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Emergency Stays<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>An emergency stay prevents an immediate, irreparable harm that execution of the judgment may cause. Emergency stays require proof of immediate harm beyond the ability of the normal court process to address. These stays are common in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/landlord-tenant-law\/defenses-to-eviction.html\">eviction cases<\/a> and asset seizures.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-term-id=\"57836345\">Stay of Proceeding<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It is possible to request a stay of court proceedings. In complex cases, judges may issue <span data-term-id=\"57836382\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/interlocutory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interlocutory<\/a> orders<\/span>. These are interim rulings on portions of a case that do not affect the <span data-term-id=\"57836351\">final judgment<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Parties can appeal <span data-term-id=\"57836382\">interlocutory orders<\/span> if they affect certain matters of the case or law. While an <span data-term-id=\"57836382\">interlocutory order<\/span> is on appeal, the judge may issue a <span data-term-id=\"57836345\">stay of proceeding<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/civil-cases-the-basics.html\">freezing the trial<\/a> in place while the <span data-term-id=\"57836344\">appellate court<\/span> reviews the order.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-term-id=\"57836353\">Stay of Enforcement<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A <span data-term-id=\"57836353\">stay of enforcement<\/span> specifically halts a creditor from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-finances\/creditors-rights-and-collection-options.html\">seizing assets<\/a> or taking other actions. A <span data-term-id=\"57836353\">stay of enforcement<\/span> pending appeal protects a <span data-term-id=\"57836354\">judgment debtor<\/span>\u2019s property while their case is under review.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Requesting a Stay<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A stay prevents the losing party from suffering irreparable harm by the <span data-term-id=\"57836363\">execution of a judgment<\/span>. In some cases, filing a <span data-term-id=\"57836356\">notice of appeal<\/span> will automatically stay <span data-term-id=\"57836376\">enforcement of the judgment<\/span>. In other cases, you or your attorney must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/going-to-court\/what-is-a-motion.html\">file a motion<\/a> for a <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>A formal motion for stay must show that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Your case has a high likelihood of success on appeal<\/li>\n<li>You will suffer irreparable harm if the stay is not granted<\/li>\n<li>The <span data-term-id=\"57836365\">opposing party<\/span> will not suffer undue harm if the stay is granted<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you request a stay of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/after-a-judgment-collecting-money.html\">money judgment<\/a>, you may need to post a <span data-term-id=\"57836346\">supersedeas bond<\/span> in the full <span data-term-id=\"57836372\">amount of the judgment<\/span>. This protects the <span data-term-id=\"57836359\">judgment creditor<\/span>\u2019s rights while the appeal is going on. In an eviction case, you may need to deposit the rent in a court account until you can vacate the property.<\/p>\n<p>If the judge does not find irreparable harm to the requesting party, or if the harm to the <span data-term-id=\"57836365\">opposing party<\/span> outweighs the need for a stay, then the judge will not grant your request.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What is a <span data-term-id=\"57836346\">supersedeas bond<\/span>?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/bond.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-term-id=\"57836346\">supersedeas bond<\/span><\/a>, or appeal bond, secures the judgment until the <span data-term-id=\"57836368\">court of appeals<\/span> reviews the case. The bond ensures that the appellee receives payment if the <span data-term-id=\"57836348\">appellant<\/span> is unable to do so. A third-party <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/surety.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-term-id=\"57836364\">surety<\/span> <\/a>company holds the bond collateral and usually requires the full amount in cash, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/consumer\/securities-law\/securities-vs-commodities.html\">securities<\/a>, <span data-term-id=\"57836358\">real property<\/span>, or life insurance.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What if I don\u2019t qualify for a bond?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If you can\u2019t post a bond, creditors can begin <span data-term-id=\"57836380\">enforcement of a judgment<\/span> immediately. You can still request a <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span> through other channels, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Waiver or Reduction of Bond<\/strong>: Courts may give you a reduced amount of bond or waive the requirement if you can show you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/do-you-need-a-lawyer\/do-you-qualify-for-free-legal-aid.html\">lack liquid assets<\/a> or are <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/indigent.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">indigent<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Writ of Supersedeas<\/strong>: You must show your appeal has merit and that you will suffer irreparable harm without a stay.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Offer Other Security<\/strong>: If you have other valuable property, ask the court if it will suffice for a <span data-term-id=\"57836364\">surety<\/span> bond.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Continue Negotiating With Creditors<\/strong>: Offer an ongoing <span data-term-id=\"57836378\">payment of money<\/span> in exchange for collection on your assets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Other options may be available. It depends on the specifics of the case.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Criminal <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">Stay of Judgment<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In criminal law, a <span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span> is also known as a <span data-term-id=\"57836369\">stay of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-procedure\/death-penalty.html\">execution<\/a><\/span>, even in non-capital cases. Criminal <span data-term-id=\"57836373\">stays pending appeal<\/span> follow different rules, since the defendant\u2019s liberty and sometimes their life is at stake.<\/p>\n<p><span data-term-id=\"57836361\">State laws<\/span> affect whether a defendant receives bond during an appeal. For more information, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal.html\">FindLaw\u2019s Criminal Law Section<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Get Legal Advice From a Civil Law Attorney<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The requirements for filing a motion for a\u00a0<span data-term-id=\"57836349\">stay of judgment<\/span>\u00a0and for\u00a0requesting an appeal are complicated. Whether you\u2019re facing <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/bankruptcy-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bankruptcy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/landlord-tenant\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eviction,<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/collections\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">money judgment<\/a>, you need someone to help you with the paperwork and courtroom appearances.<\/p>\n<p>If you need to make these requests of the court, consider getting help from a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">civil attorney<\/a> who knows what to file and how to make the request.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A stay of judgment pauses enforcement of a decision. This could be to file an appeal, halt creditors from collecting, and other reasons. Learn about stays of judgment at FindLaw.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51448,"featured_media":0,"parent":368853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":["External Links","Alt Text for All Images","Category Assigned"]},"categories":[2803],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-395736","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-litigation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/395736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51448"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395736"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/395736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401733,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/395736\/revisions\/401733"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395736"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=395736"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=395736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}