Massachusetts law about time

Laws, regulations, cases and web sources on computation of time.

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Massachusetts laws

MGL c.4, § 7 Definition of statutory terms; Statutory construction
Paragraph Nineteenth: "'Month' shall mean a calendar month, except that, when used in a statute providing for punishment by imprisonment, one 'month' or a multiple thereof shall mean a period of thirty days or the corresponding multiple thereof; and 'year', a calendar year."

MGL c.4, § 9 Time for performance of acts performable on Sunday or holiday
"Except as otherwise provided, when the day or the last day for the performance of any act, including the making of any payment or tender of payment, authorized or required by statute or by contract, falls on Sunday or a legal holiday, the act may, unless it is specifically authorized or required to be performed on Sunday or on a legal holiday, be performed on the next succeeding business day."

MGL c.4, § 10 Daylight Saving Time

MGL c.260 Statute of limitations; time after which civil claims cannot be filed

Federal laws and regulations

15 USC §§ 260-267 Time
Federal law covering time zones and daylight saving time.

47 CFR 1.4 Computation of time

Court rules

Mass. Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 14 Computation and extension of time

Mass. Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 6 Time

Mass. Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 46 Time

Mass. Rules of Domestic Relations Procedure Rule 6 Time

Time standards and court orders

Superior Court Standing Order 1-88: Time standards
[Seventh Amended - applicable to all civil actions filed in the Superior Court]. Applicable to all counties.

Time standards and case management
Time standards and case management for court cases ensure the timely attention necessary to secure a just and expeditious determination of each case or claim. Links to each court’s time standards and case management procedures.

Selected cases

Selected court cases on the topic of time

Web sources

Massachusetts deadline calculator, Legal Calculators.
This calculator makes legal deadline calculations using the court holidays declared by the Massachusetts Legislature.

Noon and midnight: AM or PM?, WritingExplained.org.
A synopsis of style guides on how to refer to noon and midnight in documents.

Official U.S. time, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Find out what time it is right now anywhere in the country.

Print sources

Black’s law dictionary, 11^th ed. West Group. Defines week as: 

“A period of seven consecutive days beginning on either Sunday or Monday. 2. Any consecutive seven-day period.”

Civil practice, 4th ed. (Mass. Practice v. 9-9A), West Group, 2023 with supplement. Sec. 19:2 Computation of time - civil.

Criminal practice and procedure, 4th ed. (Mass. practice v. 30-30B), West Group, 2014 with supplement. Section 58:3 Computation of time.

Federal civil practice, 2nd ed. (Mass Practice v. 46), West Group, 2008 with supplement. FRCP AC 6:1 Computation of time in Federal Courts.

Procedural forms annotated, 6th ed. (Mass. practice v.  10-10C), West Group, 2009 with supplement. Chapter 8 Extension or enlargement of time.

Restatement of the law, second, contracts, 2d. West Group, with supplement. Sec. 63. Time when acceptance takes effect.

Rules practice, 2nd ed. (Mass. Practice v. 6-7) West Group, 2006 with supplement. Chapter 6 Time.

Timetable for Massachusetts civil practice, LexisNexis, Annual.

Last updated:	December 13, 2023