Legal Definitions - scrivener's error

Scrivener's error is a type of clerical error that occurs when a minor mistake or inadvertence is made in writing or copying something on the record. It is not a mistake resulting from judicial reasoning or determination.

For example, if a court document accidentally misspells a name or incorrectly transcribes a number, it would be considered a scrivener's error. These errors can be corrected at any time, even after a judgment has been entered.

Another example of a scrivener's error is when a party buys a horse believing it to be the one that they had already examined and ridden, when in fact it is a different horse. This mistake involving the identity of a particular object is called an error in corpore.

Overall, scrivener's errors are minor mistakes that can be corrected without affecting the substantive rights or outcome of a case.