Oral judgment may be changed before signature and sealing, subject to notice and hearing for all parties.

A judgment orally dictated in open court may be altered or completely changed before it is signed and sealed, because the judge retains control over the decision until formal completion. Once the judgment has been delivered, any alteration must follow the governing court rules and require notice to the parties, with an opportunity to be heard. A signed and sealed judgment stands on a narrower footing and may be reopened only on recognised review grounds. The document states that complete change before signature is permissible, provided all concerned parties are notified and heard before the change is made.

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Issues: Whether a judgment orally dictated in open court can be completely changed before it is signed and sealed.

Analysis: The answer turned on the distinction between a judgment that has merely been dictated or delivered and one that has been signed and sealed. Reliance was placed on the principle that, until delivery, a judge retains full liberty to change the proposed decision; after delivery, alteration is permissible only in the manner recognised by the governing court rules and with notice to the parties. The reasoning treated the delivered but unsigned judgment as capable of alteration or complete change before signature, whereas a signed and sealed judgment could be reopened only on narrow grounds of review.

Conclusion: A judgment orally dictated in open court may be completely changed before it is signed and sealed, provided notice is given to all parties concerned and they are heard before the change is made.

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