A Rule 11 agreement is basically a settlement agreement made outside of court. Rule 11 agreements are made between the attorneys of both parties, written up, signed by both parties, and then filed with the court or read in open court into the record. It is not uncommon, for example, for lawyers to draft and sign a Rule 11 agreement in the hallway of the courthouse after reaching an agreement on an issue, such as child visitation schedules. Rule 11 agreements are binding and essentially have the effect of a court order, although it is not a court order.