A decision made by a judge on the basis of the written documents alone, without an oral hearing. In arbitration-related family cases, an initial 'gatekeeper' order is often made on the papers — for example, to lift a stay, suspend the usual first-appointment procedure, and allocate the application to a judge. Also called a 'paper exercise'.
In Plain English
A decision a judge makes just by reading the paperwork you sent, without requiring anyone to attend a hearing. It is often used for simple administrative steps to keep the case moving.
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