A declaratory judgment is a binding judgment from a court defining the legal relationship between parties and their rights in a matter before the court. When there is uncertainty as to the legal obligations or rights between two parties, a declaratory judgment offers an immediate means to resolve this uncertainty.
"The essential requirements of a declaratory judgment action are: (1) a plaintiff with a legal tangible interest; (2) a defendant having an opposing interest; and (3) an actual controversy between the parties concerning such interests. Citations.
A plaintiff could ask a judge to make a declaratory judgment about almost anything, including interpreting an unclear clause in a contract, determining the rights of the insured under an insurance policy, determining who is a beneficiary under a last will and testament, or even deciding who is the rightful owner of ...
A declaratory judgment is a ruling of the court to clarify something (usually a contract provision) that is in dispute. A summary judgment is a ruling that a case or portion of a case must be dismissed because there are no triable issues of material fact in dispute.
The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) is the unincorporated land within three and a half miles of the City of Missouri City boundaries and includes all unincorporated territory that is not located in another city's municipal boundary or ETJ.
A declaratory judgment is typically requested when a party is threatened with a lawsuit but the lawsuit has not yet been filed; or when a party or parties believe that their rights under law and/or contract might conflict; or as part of a counterclaim to prevent further lawsuits from the same plaintiff (for example, ...
In order for a Missouri Court to even entertain a declaratory judgment, it must be presented with: (1) a justiciable controversy that presents a real, substantial, presently-existing controversy admitting of specific relief, as distinguished from an advisory decree upon a purely hypothetical situation; (2) a plaintiff ...
To bring a claim for declaratory judgment in a situation where a patent dispute may exist or develop, the claimant must establish that an actual controversy exists. If there is a substantial controversy of sufficient immediacy and reality, the court will generally proceed with the declaratory-judgment action.
“Actions for declaratory judgment are also governed by the same six-year statute of limitations and accrue when a plaintiff receives a judicially cognizable injury.” See Baroudi v.
Steps in Seeking a Declaratory Judgment Review the facts of the case. Research and obtain additional evidence and title information from the client or the Missouri Department of Revenue. File a petition asking the appropriate court for a declaratory judgment.