Legal Definitions - civil day

A civil day is a legal term referring to the standard 24-hour period that begins at midnight and concludes the following midnight. It is the calendar day used for most legal calculations, deadlines, and timeframes, distinct from concepts like a "workday" or a specific period of daylight.

• Example 1: Filing a Legal Document

  A court order mandates that a response to a motion must be filed by "the end of the civil day on Friday, November 10th." This means the document must be submitted to the court clerk or e-filed before midnight on Friday, November 10th. The court is using the standard 24-hour calendar day to define the deadline, not just the court's business hours or the period of daylight.

• Example 2: Contractual Service Completion

  A service agreement between a homeowner and a landscaping company states that the initial garden design must be delivered within "five civil days" of the contract signing. If the contract was signed on a Monday, the landscaping company has until midnight on the following Saturday to provide the design. This clarifies that the count includes all 24-hour periods, encompassing both weekdays and weekend days, rather than just business hours or specific working days.

• Example 3: Calculating a Notice Period

  A tenant receives an eviction notice stating they have "seven civil days" to vacate the property. If the notice was delivered at 3:00 PM on a Tuesday, the seven-civil-day period would begin at midnight that Tuesday (or the start of the next full civil day, depending on specific jurisdiction rules) and expire at midnight the following Tuesday. The term "civil day" ensures that each full 24-hour period is counted consistently, providing a clear and unambiguous timeframe for the tenant to comply.