Order

An order is a decision issued by a court or other authoritative body directing that something be done or setting out the court’s ruling on a particular point. Orders can be final or non-final, and a court must have jurisdiction over the parties before it may issue one. Orders from a lower court, such as a U.S. district court, can generally be appealed to a higher court.

Example: In federal court, a district judge may issue an order granting or denying a preliminary injunction, deciding whether a party must do or refrain from something while a case continues.

Common misconception: An order is not the same thing as an opinion. An opinion explains the court’s reasoning, while an order is the directive or ruling itself, which can sometimes be very short.

Sources: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/order; https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/court_order