Legal Definitions - dilatory

Dilatory describes actions or tactics that are intended to cause delay. In a legal context, it refers to behavior that unnecessarily prolongs a case or proceeding.

Dilatory describes actions or behaviors that are characterized by intentional delay or procrastination, especially when promptness is expected or required. It refers to a tendency to cause slowness or put off tasks, often leading to unnecessary extensions of time.

• Example 1: A construction contractor, after receiving an initial payment, repeatedly postpones the start date for a home renovation project. They provide vague excuses, fail to show up for scheduled meetings, and take an unusually long time to respond to the homeowner's calls and emails.

  Explanation: The contractor's actions are dilatory because they are causing significant and unnecessary delays in beginning the renovation, despite having been paid and having a clear expectation to start work promptly.

• Example 2: A company's human resources department is tasked with processing new employee onboarding paperwork. However, they consistently take several weeks to finalize essential documents like health insurance enrollment and payroll setup, causing new hires to experience delays in receiving their benefits and first paychecks.

  Explanation: The HR department's processing is dilatory as it creates avoidable delays in critical administrative tasks, impacting new employees' timely access to their employment benefits.

• Example 3: During negotiations for a business acquisition, one party consistently fails to provide requested financial documents by agreed-upon deadlines, frequently cancels scheduled meetings at the last minute, and takes an excessive amount of time to review and respond to proposals.

  Explanation: This party's conduct is dilatory because their repeated delays and lack of responsiveness are prolonging the negotiation process, preventing a timely resolution to the acquisition discussions.