Legal Definitions - espera

An espera is a specific period of time, either established by law or set by a court, within which a particular action or set of actions must be completed.

• Court-Ordered Discovery Deadline: Imagine a civil lawsuit where a judge orders both parties to exchange all relevant documents and information (known as "discovery") within 90 days. This 90-day window is an espera.

  Explanation: Here, the court has fixed a 90-day period for the specific act of completing discovery. If the parties fail to meet this deadline, they could face penalties or have their case affected.

• Statutory Period for Appealing a Decision: After a government agency makes a final decision on a permit application, the law might state that an aggrieved party has 30 days to file an appeal in court. This 30-day period is an espera.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the law itself has established a 30-day timeframe for the specific action of filing an appeal. Missing this deadline typically means the right to appeal is lost.