How Are Time Limits Calculated In Law?
How Do Time Limits Work in Law?
The documents sent to you by the court or enforcement office may specify time limits for you to make payments, file objections, respond, or file a lawsuit. Similarly, there may be time limits for the exercise of a right, such as a statute of limitations or a period of prescription. These time limits are specified in days, weeks, months, or years, such as 5, 7, 10, or 30 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, or 2 years. So, how are these time limits calculated?
In legal proceedings, “Time limits begin to run from the date of service to the parties or, in cases specified by law, from the date of notification.
If the time period is specified in days, the day of notification or announcement is not included in the calculation, and the time period ends at the close of business on the last day.
If the time period is specified in weeks, months, or years, it ends at the close of business on the corresponding day of the last week, month, or year. If there is no corresponding day in the month in which the time period ends, the time period ends at the close of business on the last day of that month.
Official holidays are included in the period, except when the period is specified as a working day, in which case official holidays are not counted. If the last day of the period falls on an official holiday, the period ends at the end of the working hours of the first working day following the holiday.