General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Trump's lawyers are now ordered to appear before the court by 5 PM on Monday [View all]MineralMan
(146,351 posts)One of the reasons people, in general, do not understand how legal matters work is simply one of language.
The legal profession, along with our legislatures, use language in ways that are unfamiliar to the average person. In this particular case, the confusion comes from the word "minute" in "minute order."
Like many words in English, "minute" has multiple meanings. Most often, people understand it as a discrete measurement of time. Most people are also familiar with its use as an adjective, meaning "very small," as in a "minute particle." When used that way, it is pronounced differently. We are less familiar with its usage that means "a record." If we use the word in the plural form, "minutes," we recognize that usage as in "minutes of a meeting." So, in courtroom speak, "minute order" simply means an order that has been recorded in the minutes of the case by a clerk of the court. The minutes of a case are a day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute record of the proceedings.
But that never gets explained, because you have to go through a paragraph to explain what a "minute order" is. So, most people have no idea what is being talked about. Confusion breeds error, and away we go.