Short answer. If no appeal or motion for new trial or reconsideration is filed within the time allowed, the clerk enters the judgment in the book of entries of judgments. The date it becomes executory is deemed the date of entry, with the record showing the dispositive portion and the clerk's certification of finality.
What the law says
If no appeal or motion for new trial or reconsideration is filed within the time provided in these Rules, the judgment or final resolution shall forthwith be entered by the clerk in the book of entries of judgments.
Rule 51, Section 10 — Entry of judgments and final resolutions. Read the full provision →
What the law says
The date when the judgment or final resolution becomes executory shall be deemed as the date of its entry.
Rule 51, Section 10 — Entry of judgments and final resolutions. Read the full provision →
What the law says
The record shall contain the dispositive part of the judgment or final resolution and shall be signed by the clerk, with a certificate that such judgment or final resolution has become final and executory.
Rule 51, Section 10 — Entry of judgments and final resolutions. Read the full provision →
Entry happens automatically once no timely challenge is filed
Section 10 ties entry of judgment to the simple passage of time without a further challenge. If no appeal or motion for new trial or reconsideration is filed within the time provided in these Rules, the judgment or final resolution shall forthwith be entered by the clerk in the book of entries of judgments. No separate motion to enter judgment is required — it happens as a matter of course, without any party needing to request it.
The entry date equals the executory date
The rule fixes a specific rule for dating that entry: the date when the judgment or final resolution becomes executory shall be deemed as the date of its entry. Rather than the entry date being whenever the clerk happens to get around to the paperwork, it is legally deemed to be the date the judgment became executory, regardless of when the clerk actually completes the entry.
What the recorded entry contains
The entry itself is not a bare notation — the record shall contain the dispositive part of the judgment or final resolution and shall be signed by the clerk, with a certificate that such judgment or final resolution has become final and executory. That certificate is often the concrete document a party later presents to prove finality for purposes of enforcement or registration.
Why this matters for enforcing the judgment
Because a motion for execution generally cannot be filed until after entry, as the next section confirms, knowing when entry occurred — and that it is legally tied to the executory date rather than an arbitrary clerical date — is essential for a winning party trying to determine when enforcement can begin, and for a losing party trying to gauge how much time remains to act.
Related provisions
- Rule 51, Section 10 — Entry of judgments and final resolutions
- Rule 51, Section 9 — Promulgation and notice of judgment
- Rule 51, Section 11 — Execution of judgment