Are electronic signatures valid on motions?

Yes, electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements.

Does the court require original wet signatures?

Many courts accept electronically signed documents through their e-filing systems, but local court rules may require notarization or original signatures for certain exhibits; check the court’s rules first.

What if a signature is disputed?

Retain audit trails showing signer identity, IP address, and timestamps; these records support attribution and reduce risk of successful repudiation or evidentiary challenge.

Can a party sign on behalf of an entity?

An authorized officer or agent may sign if corporate authorization exists; include title and evidence of authority to avoid challenges to the signatory’s capacity.

What happens if the court rejects the motion?

Address clerks’ corrections promptly, re-file corrected versions per the clerk’s instructions, and if necessary seek leave to file under local rules to cure procedural defects.

When is notarization or RON required?

Notarization is uncommon for motions themselves but required for affidavits or declarations; RON availability varies by state—confirm local rules and remote-notary statutes before relying on remote notarization.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Legal
Legal Agreed Motion

Legal Agreed Motion

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LEGAL AGREED MOTION

Court Name: Division:

Case Number: Judge:

Plaintiff/Petitioner: Defendant/Respondent:

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Plaintiff/Petitioner and Defendant/Respondent, through undersigned counsel, have met and conferred in good faith concerning the matters alleged in this action and seek to present to the Court an agreed disposition of the limited relief described below; and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to present this Agreed Motion to obtain an order of the Court modifying scheduling deadlines, extending time to perform a specific act, or entering the agreed relief without need for contested briefing; and

WHEREAS, this Motion is submitted with the consent of the parties and does not prejudice any party's substantive rights beyond the relief expressly requested herein;

NOW THEREFORE

NOW THEREFORE, the parties respectfully request that the Court grant the relief set forth in this Agreed Motion and enter an order consistent with the terms hereafter stated.

1. RELIEF REQUESTED

The parties jointly move the Court for the following relief:

2. AGREED FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The material facts relevant to this Agreed Motion are as follows:

3. AGREED TERMS AND SCHEDULE

The parties agree and request the Court to adopt the following schedule and terms:

New deadline for action (specify action and date): Additional agreed dates (list each with date):

4. PROCEDURAL AND PRACTICAL PROVISIONS

4.1 Service and Filing. The parties agree that service of papers required by this Agreed Motion may be effected by counsel of record via electronic filing if permitted by the Court or by hand-delivery or email service between counsel where authorized by local rule. Counsel shall promptly file a notice of the Court's ruling and any agreed order.

4.2 Proposed Order. A proposed form of order reflecting the relief requested is submitted herewith and is intended to be consistent with the terms of this Agreed Motion. Counsel certify that the proposed order accurately reflects the parties' agreement.

4.3 No Prejudice. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreed Motion, no party concedes any substantive right, claim, or defense, and all parties reserve all rights not specifically addressed herein.

Proposed order attached:

Proposed order is attached for the Court's consideration

Oral hearing requested:

The parties request an oral hearing on this Agreed Motion

5. ATTORNEYS' CERTIFICATIONS

Counsel for the undersigned parties hereby certify that they have conferred in a good faith effort to resolve the issues addressed in this Agreed Motion, and that the motion is presented with the consent of all parties affected thereby.

Lead counsel for Plaintiff/Petitioner: Contact information for Plaintiff counsel: Lead counsel for Defendant/Respondent: Contact information for Defendant counsel:

6. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Governing Law: This Agreed Motion and any order entered hereunder shall be governed by the laws applicable in the jurisdiction of the presiding Court.

Entire Agreement: This Agreed Motion constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior oral or written agreements concerning the relief sought herein.

Severability: If any provision of this Agreed Motion is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Amendments and Waiver: Any amendment to this Agreed Motion must be in writing and executed by the parties. Failure by a party to insist upon strict performance of any provision shall not be construed as a waiver.

Counterparts: This Agreed Motion may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Facsimile or electronic signatures shall be binding for all purposes.

CERTIFICATION

The undersigned certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction that the foregoing is true and correct and that they are authorized to file this Agreed Motion on behalf of the parties identified below.

Plaintiff/Petitioner:

By:

Date:

Defendant/Respondent:

By:

Date:

What the Legal Agreed Motion Is and when it’s used

A Legal Agreed Motion is a jointly prepared court filing in which all parties request specific relief or a procedural change the parties have agreed on. It typically includes a caption, concise statement of agreed facts or stipulations, the requested court action, a proposed order, and signature blocks for each party or counsel. Parties use agreed motions to streamline contested proceedings, avoid hearings when courts accept stipulated resolutions, and put an agreed request on the official docket. Acceptance and filing method may vary by local court rules and e-filing systems.

Why parties use an agreed motion instead of a contested motion

Agreed motions reduce litigation friction by documenting mutual consent, shortening scheduling, and often avoiding contested hearings when courts accept the stipulation, saving time and court resources.

Typical users and participants for an agreed motion

Attorneys, litigants, and court clerks commonly prepare and process Legal Agreed Motions to memorialize negotiated relief and request judicial entry of an order.

Litigators and counsel who represent parties and draft the agreed language before seeking signatures.
In-house counsel or corporate signatories who must review, approve, and sign on behalf of entities.
Court clerks and e-filing administrators who process submissions and check compliance with local rules.

Understanding each participant’s role (drafter, signer, filer, served party) reduces procedural errors and speeds acceptance by the court.

Who signs and certifies an agreed motion

Plaintiff Counsel

A plaintiff’s attorney typically prepares the draft and secures client approval; they attest the motion reflects the parties’ agreement and add a certificate of service following local rule requirements.

Defense Counsel

Defense counsel reviews the text, confirms accuracy with the client, and provides a signed counterpart; counsel often stipulates to proposed hearing dates or orders in a single combined filing.

Key compliance and security elements to include

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data at rest: AES-256 encryption

Audit trail: Time-stamped action log

Authentication: Email, SMS or stronger MFA

Regulatory support: ESIGN and UETA compliance

HIPAA readiness: BAA required for PHI workflows

Consequences of errors when preparing an agreed motion

Court rejection: Motion may be refused

Sanctions risk: Possible monetary or procedural sanctions

Missed deadlines: Statutory or rule-based time bars

Improper service: Notice defects can void action

Signature issues: Mismatch or unauthorized signatory

Evidence problems: Authentication gaps in record

Common pitfalls to avoid when preparing the motion

Failing to follow the local court’s caption, filing format, or e-filing rules, which can delay docketing or require re-filing.
Using ambiguous language in the stipulated relief or proposed order that leaves implementation to later dispute.
Neglecting certificate of service details or incorrect service addresses, creating jurisdictional or notice defects.
Allowing signature blocks to differ across counterparts, producing inconsistent records and possible authentication issues.

Step-by-step: preparing, signing, and filing a Legal Agreed Motion

Follow a clear sequence to draft, approve, sign, and submit the motion so the court receives a complete, consistent record that satisfies local rules and evidentiary standards.

01

Draft the motion: Prepare caption, agreed facts, requested relief, and proposed order.
02

Obtain approvals: Circulate draft for client and opposing counsel review and revisions.
03

Secure signatures: Collect authorized signatures and date each counterpart accurately.
04

File and serve: E-file per court rules and serve all parties with certificate of service.

How the agreed motion moves from draft to docket entry

A predictable routing path reduces filing errors: prepare, sign, e-file, and serve with proof of service attached to the docket.

Drafting: Create a single agreed text and a separate proposed order.
Counterparts: Exchange signed counterparts or collect consolidated signatures.
E-filing: Submit via the court’s e-filing portal with required attachments.
Service: Serve opposing counsel and file a certificate of service.

Essential components of a professional Legal Agreed Motion

A complete agreed motion balances concise facts, precise relief language, and a clean procedural record. Ensure every section supports enforceability and ease of clerical processing.

Caption

Court name, case number, judge, and complete party names placed exactly as shown on the docket to ensure the filing links to the correct case and judge.

Title

A clear title such as 'Agreed Motion to Extend Scheduling Order' that quickly informs the clerk and judge of the requested relief and streamlines docket review.

Recitals

Short, numbered recitals stating the parties’ agreement and material facts in neutral language to avoid introducing disputed facts or argumentative content.

Requested relief

A precise paragraph stating the specific action requested of the court, including dates, timeframes, or exact language for an order to be entered.

Proposed order

A separate, editable proposed order formatted per local rules so the judge can adopt and sign it directly, reducing clerical edits after entry.

Signature blocks

Signature lines for each party or counsel with printed names, titles, firm name, addresses, telephone, email, and a certificate of service with date and method.

How to configure an online workflow for agreed motions

When using an eSignature and e-filing workflow, configure fields, roles, and authentication to match court and local rules before sending for signature.

Field	Configuration
Signature Block	Editable name, title, and date fields for each signer
Authentication	Select email link, SMS code, or stronger MFA
Order Attachment	Include proposed order as separate file
Audit & Retention	Enable detailed audit trail and PDF/A export

Technical considerations for eSigning and eSubmission

Ensure your chosen eSignature platform supports secure authentication, audit trails, and the document formats required by court e-filing systems.

File formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Integrations: Connectors for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365
Security: Audit trail and encryption

Timing and common scheduling deadlines to check

Local court rules set filing and service deadlines; verify timing for noticing hearings, opposing party responses, and expedited requests.

Motion response window:

Local rules specify the period to respond; check the court’s civil rules.

Hearing scheduling:

Court calendars determine available hearing dates after filing.

Service timing:

Certificate of service must reflect the method and date of service.

Proposed order entry:

Judge’s chambers may require additional notice before entry.

Emergency relief:

Expedited or emergency procedures vary by jurisdiction.

Key milestones from agreement to court order

Track milestones in sequence to ensure signatures, filing, and service occur before any applicable deadlines or hearings.

01

Agreement Finalized

Parties confirm text and proposed remedy in writing.

02

Signatures Collected

Obtain all required signatures and date each signature.

03

File with Court

E-file motion and proposed order with attachments.

04

Order Entered

Clerk or judge signs and docket entry is made.

Comparing eSignature vendors for signing and routing court documents

Vendor pricing and core features vary; the table below shows starting prices and a few common capacity and compliance distinctions.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day trial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Practical examples showing how agreed motions were used

Two brief examples illustrate common scenarios where parties used an agreed motion to resolve scheduling or procedural issues without contested hearings.

Martin Properties

A property manager and tenant agreed to extend a lease deadline to avoid litigation

Tim Martin notes rapid compliance
The parties filed an agreed motion with a proposed order and avoided a contested hearing, streamlining the landlord’s operations and preserving court time.

Xerox NetSuite

Operations teams used a stipulated request to amend deadlines during a migration

Kodi-Marie Evans emphasized integration flexibility
Counsel exchanged signed counterparts electronically, filed the agreed motion, and the court entered the proposed order with no appearance required.

Practical drafting tips to reduce objections and re-filings

Adopt standards that minimize clerical errors, ensure clear authority to sign, and make submission straightforward for court staff and opposing counsel.

Use precise relief language

State the exact action requested, including specific dates and any responsibilities allocated to each party to avoid ambiguity after entry.

Include a separate proposed order

Provide a clean, editable order formatted to local requirements so the judge can adopt it with minimal clerical changes and quicker entry.

Confirm authority to sign

Verify signatories have authority to bind parties; for entities, use officer titles and corporate authorization where appropriate to prevent later challenges.

Attach certificate of service

Detail method, recipients, and date of service to establish notice and satisfy local filing rules and procedural proof requirements.

Frequently asked questions about Legal Agreed Motions and eSigning

Answers cover legal validity, signature authority, e-signature admissibility, and what to do when a court rejects a filing.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures valid on motions?
Yes, electronic signatures are generally valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted, provided the signature meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements.
Does the court require original wet signatures?
Many courts accept electronically signed documents through their e-filing systems, but local court rules may require notarization or original signatures for certain exhibits; check the court’s rules first.
What if a signature is disputed?
Retain audit trails showing signer identity, IP address, and timestamps; these records support attribution and reduce risk of successful repudiation or evidentiary challenge.
Can a party sign on behalf of an entity?
An authorized officer or agent may sign if corporate authorization exists; include title and evidence of authority to avoid challenges to the signatory’s capacity.
What happens if the court rejects the motion?
Address clerks’ corrections promptly, re-file corrected versions per the clerk’s instructions, and if necessary seek leave to file under local rules to cure procedural defects.
When is notarization or RON required?
Notarization is uncommon for motions themselves but required for affidavits or declarations; RON availability varies by state—confirm local rules and remote-notary statutes before relying on remote notarization.

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