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Federal court deadline calculator

Count a federal deadline the way FRCP 6(a) does: pick a common deadline or enter your own period, choose the trigger date, and see the last day with each counting step explained.

Not legal advice. This calculator applies the national federal rules only. Local rules, standing orders, court orders, stipulations, statutes and state law can change a deadline, and some events (such as certain motions) reset it. Confirm every deadline against the rules and orders in your case before relying on it.

The 3 days for mail service (FRCP 6(d)) do not apply here: they apply only to periods that run after Rule 5(b) service, not from entry of judgment, a waiver request, or Rule 4 service of the summons and complaint.

Rule: FRCP 12(a)(1)(A)(i)

Choose a trigger date to see the deadline.

Method

How the calculator counts

  • The day of the triggering event is not counted (FRCP 6(a)(1)(A)).
  • Every day is counted, including Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays (6(a)(1)(B)).
  • The last day is included, but if it is a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the period runs to the next day that is not (6(a)(1)(C)).
  • Counting backward ("at least 21 days before"), the "next day" is the earlier day (6(a)(5)), so the date moves earlier.
  • Mail service: 3 days are added after the period would otherwise end under Rule 6(a), and if the third day is a weekend or holiday the period runs to the next business day (6(d)).
  • Appellate, bankruptcy and Supreme Court periods are counted the same way under FRAP 26(a), Fed. R. Bankr. P. 9006(a) and S. Ct. R. 30.1.

Not included

  • State holidays where the district court sits (FRCP 6(a)(6)(C)) and other days declared a holiday by the President or Congress (6(a)(6)(B)).
  • Days the clerk's office is inaccessible, such as weather closures or electronic filing outages (6(a)(3)), and Supreme Court building closures.
  • Inauguration Day, which is a holiday only in the Washington, D.C. area.
  • Deadlines stated in hours, extensions, and deadlines set by local rule, standing order or court order.

Keep every deadline with the matter.

DraftAria tracks filing deadlines per matter alongside court-formatted templates and filing checks.

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