Rule 62.Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment

Group VII: Judgment · Last amended March 1, 2023 · Last verified July 15, 2026

In one sentenceRule 62 automatically stays execution of a judgment for 30 days after notice of entry, lets a party extend that stay by posting bond or other security, exempts injunctions and receivership judgments from the automatic stay, and sets detailed undertaking requirements for staying other kinds of judgments on appeal.

Full Text of Rule 62

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n)

(a) Automatic stay. Except as provided in Rule 62(c) and (d), execution on a judgment and proceedings to enforce it are stayed for 30 days after filing notice of entry of judgment or entry of default judgment unless the court orders otherwise.

(b) Stay by bond or other security. At any time after judgment is entered, a party may obtain a stay by providing a bond or other security. The stay takes effect when the court approves the bond or other security and remains in effect for the time specified in the bond or other security.

(c) Stay of an injunction or receivership. Unless the court orders otherwise, the following are not stayed after being entered, even if an appeal is taken:

(1) an interlocutory or final judgment in an action for an injunction or receivership; or

(2) a judgment or order that directs an accounting.

(d) Injunction pending an appeal. While an appeal is pending from an interlocutory order or final judgment that grants, continues, modifies, refuses, dissolves, or refuses to dissolve or modify an injunction, the court may suspend, modify, restore, or grant an injunction on terms for bond or other terms that secure the opposing party's rights.

(e) Stay without bond on an appeal by the state, its officers, or its agencies. The court must not require a bond, obligation, or other security from the appellant when granting a stay on an appeal by the State, its officers, or its agencies or on an appeal directed by an agency or subdivision of the state government.

(f) Undertaking to stay execution for delivery of personal property on appeal. If the judgment directs the assignment or delivery of documents or personal property, its execution is not stayed on appeal unless:

(1) the matters required to be assigned or delivered are brought into court or are placed in the custody of a court-appointed officer or receiver; or

(2) an undertaking is entered into on behalf of the appellant by at least two sureties, for a sum as directed by the court, providing that the appellant will obey the order of the appellate court on appeal.

(g) To stay execution of conveyance or instrument on appeal. If the judgment directs the execution of a conveyance or other instrument, its execution is not stayed on appeal, unless the instrument has been executed and deposited with the clerk with whom the judgment was entered to abide the appellate court's judgment.

(h) Undertaking to stay execution for the sale or delivery of real property on appeal. If the judgment directs the sale or delivery of possession of real property, its execution is not stayed on appeal unless an undertaking is executed on behalf of the appellant by at least two sureties, for a sum as directed by the court. The undertaking must provide that during the possession of the property, the appellant:

(1) will not commit or allow to be committed any waste on the property; and

(2) if the judgment is affirmed, will pay the value of the use and occupation of the property from the time of the appeal until the delivery of possession under the judgment.

(i) Undertaking to stay abatement of nuisance on appeal. If the judgment directs the abatement or restraint of the continuance of a public or private nuisance, its execution is not stayed on appeal unless an undertaking is entered into on behalf of the appellant by at least two sureties, for a sum as directed by the court, providing that the appellant will pay all damages that the opposing party may sustain by the continuance of the nuisance.

(j) Undertaking to stay other executions on appeal. If the judgment directs the performing of a particular act and there is no statutory provision regarding the undertaking to be given on appeal, its execution is not stayed on appeal unless an undertaking is executed on behalf of the appellant by at least two sureties, for a sum as directed by the court. The undertaking must provide that the appellant will pay all damages sustained by the opposing party by not performing the particular act directed to be done by the judgment and as further provided by the court.

(k) To stay intermediate orders on appeal. Unless otherwise directed by the court, the execution or performance of an order must not be delayed on appeal. If required, an undertaking must be executed on behalf of the appellant by at least two sureties in an amount and under terms as directed by the court. The terms of the undertaking must be in accordance with the order, and when applicable, must correspond to the provisions of these rules regarding appeals from judgments and no appeal from judgments. The provisions must be made in all cases that will properly protect the respondent.

An appeal from an intermediate order before judgment does not stay proceedings unless the court orders otherwise.

(l) Appellate court's power not limited. While an appeal is pending, this rule does not limit the power of the appellate court or one of its judges or justices to:

(1) stay proceedings; or

(2) suspend, modify, restore, or grant an injunction; or

(3) issue an order to preserve the status quo or the effectiveness of the judgment to be entered.

(m) Stay with multiple claims or parties. A court may stay the enforcement of a final judgment entered under Rule 54(b) until it enters a later judgment or judgments, and may prescribe terms necessary to secure the benefit of the stayed judgment for the party in whose favor it was entered.

(n) Order staying proceedings. The court may not order a stay of proceedings more than 21 days except to stay proceedings under an order or judgment appealed from or on previous notice to the opposing party.

End

Explanatory Note

Rule 62 was amended, effective September 1, 1983; March 1, 2011; March 1, 2021; March 1, 2023. Rule 62 is derived from Fed.R.Civ.P. 62, with several added provisions.

Subsection (a) was amended, effective September 1, 1983, to provide that no execution shall issue upon a judgment nor shall proceedings be taken for its enforcement until the expiration of 10 days after "notice of" its entry, rather than its entry except in a default judgment the time begins to run from the date of entry. Federal subdivision (f), concerning a stay according to state law, was deleted. In its place, subdivisions (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), and (k), derived from Sections 28-2712 through 28-2717, NDRC 1943, were inserted. These contain mostly provisions requiring an undertaking to stay certain proceedings. Subdivisions (l) and (m) are identical to subdivisions (g) and (h) in the federal rule. Subdivision (n), taken from Section 28-2807, NDRC 1943, was added setting a time limit on how long an order may be made effective.

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective March 1, 2011, to increase the time of the automatic stay from 10 to 14 days.

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective March 1, 2021, to increase the time of the automatic stay from 14 to 30 days. Former subdivision (b) on stay pending disposition of a motion was deleted as unnecessary given the increased period of the automatic stay.

Subdivision (a) was amended, effective March 1, 2023, to stay execution on a default judgment and proceedings to enforce it until 30 days have passed after its entry.

A new subdivision (b) was added, effective March 1, 2021, expanding the circumstances under which a stay by bond may be obtained. Former subdivision (d) was deleted as unnecessary given the expansion of the stay by bond under subdivision (b).

A new subdivision (c) was added, effective March 1, 2021, to contain language on stay of an injunction, receivership or accounting previously found in subdivision (a). Former subdivision (c) was renumbered as subdivision (d).

Subdivision (n) was amended, effective March 1, 2011, to increase the time for an order staying proceedings from 20 to 21 days.

Rule 62 was amended, effective March 1, 2011, in response to the December 1, 2007, revision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 62(a) stays execution on a judgment, and any proceeding to enforce it, for 30 days after notice of entry of judgment is filed (or after entry of a default judgment), unless the court orders otherwise. Rule 62(b) lets a party extend that protection at any time after judgment is entered by posting a bond or other security; the stay takes effect once the court approves the security and lasts for whatever time the bond or security specifies.

Some judgments fall outside the automatic stay altogether. Rule 62(c) provides that, unless the court orders otherwise, a judgment for an injunction or receivership and any judgment or order directing an accounting are not stayed even while an appeal is pending. Rule 62(d) instead gives the court discretion, while that kind of appeal is pending, to suspend, modify, restore, or grant an injunction on terms that secure the opposing party's rights. Rule 62(e) excuses the state, its officers, or its agencies from posting any bond or security to get a stay on their own appeal.

Several more subdivisions set out undertaking requirements — generally an obligation backed by at least two sureties, in an amount the court directs — for staying execution of particular kinds of judgments on appeal: delivering personal property, executing a conveyance or other instrument, selling or delivering real property (where the appellant must also avoid waste and pay for use of the property if the judgment is affirmed), abating a nuisance, and any other judgment directing a specific act. Rule 62(k) applies a similar undertaking requirement to intermediate orders, and clarifies that an appeal from an order before judgment doesn't itself stay the proceedings unless the court says so.

Rule 62(l) preserves the appellate court's own power to stay proceedings, to suspend, modify, restore, or grant an injunction, or to issue an order preserving the status quo while an appeal is pending. Rule 62(m) lets a court stay enforcement of a partial judgment entered under Rule 54(b) until it decides the rest of the case. Rule 62(n) caps how long a court's own stay order can run — no more than 21 days — except when the stay is of proceedings under a judgment or order that's already been appealed, or is granted on notice to the opposing party.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a North Dakota judgment automatically stayed from enforcement?

Rule 62(a) stays execution and enforcement proceedings for 30 days after notice of entry of judgment is filed, or after entry of a default judgment, unless the court orders otherwise.

Can I get a stay that lasts longer than the automatic 30 days?

Yes. Rule 62(b) lets a party obtain a stay at any point after judgment by posting a bond or other security, effective once the court approves it and lasting for the time the security specifies.

Is an injunction or receivership judgment automatically stayed while I appeal it?

No. Rule 62(c) excludes injunction and receivership judgments, and judgments or orders directing an accounting, from the automatic stay, though the court can order a stay in a particular case, and Rule 62(d) lets the court adjust the injunction while the appeal is pending.

Does the State of North Dakota have to post a bond to get a stay on its own appeal?

No. Rule 62(e) states the court must not require a bond or other security from the state, its officers, or its agencies when they obtain a stay on appeal.

What do I need to stay a judgment that orders me to sell or deliver real property while I appeal?

Rule 62(h) requires an undertaking executed by at least two sureties, in an amount the court sets, providing that you won't commit or allow waste on the property and, if the judgment is affirmed, will pay for the value of its use during the appeal.

Source & verification. Rule text and the Explanatory Note are reproduced verbatim from the North Dakota Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of North Dakota. Last verified July 15, 2026. · Official source

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