1
: a brief written summary of a document : abstract
2
a(1)
: a formal abridged record of the proceedings in a legal action
(2)
: a register of such records
b(1)
: a list of legal causes to be tried
also
: the caseload of a court or judge
(2)
: a calendar of business matters to be acted on : agenda
3
: an identifying statement about a document placed on its outer surface or cover
docketed; docketing; dockets
1
: to place on the docket for legal action
2
: to make a brief abstract of (something, such as a legal matter) and inscribe it in a list
3
: to inscribe (something, such as a document) with an identifying statement
Examples of docket in a Sentence
Noun
The judge had to postpone some of the cases on the docket.
on the Broadway docket for the early part of this season
Recent Examples on the Web
Chris Spargo, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Trump’s lawyers have flooded the Supreme Court’s emergency docket, filing 21 emergency applications, tallying up more appeals to the nation’s highest court in six months than former President Biden did during his four years in the Oval Office.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2025
The paperwork for Johnson’s trial — along with images of some of the handwritten documents — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system in 2021, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for docket
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Noun
Denton and Rowland do not have legal representation at this time, according to their court dockets.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Trump’s lawyers have flooded the Supreme Court’s emergency docket, filing 21 emergency applications, tallying up more appeals to the nation’s highest court in six months than former President Biden did during his four years in the Oval Office.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
City Council goes dark in August so it might not be docketed until September.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2025
The paperwork for Johnson’s trial — along with images of some of the handwritten documents — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system in 2021, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for docket
Cite this Entry
“Docket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/docket. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
docket
1 of 2 noun
dock·et
ˈdä-kət 
1
a
: a formal abridged record of the proceedings (as motions, orders, and judgments) in a legal action
the clerk shall keep a docket in each case—U.S. Code
U.S. Code
b
: a register of such records
2
a
: a list of legal actions to be heard by a court
the nearly 500 such cases on court dockets—Rorie Sherman
compare calendar
Rorie Sherman
b
: the caseload of a court
a great part of our docket consisted of regulatory agency cases—R. H. Bork
R. H. Borkdocket
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to enter in a docket (as of a case or a court)
closure motions must be docketed sufficiently in advance—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel
compare calendar
W. R. LaFave and J. H. IsraelEtymology
Noun
earlier doggette, docquet summary, abstract, of unknown origin
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