Legal Definitions - recess

A recess is a temporary pause or break in a legal proceeding, such as a trial or hearing, or in a legislative session. It signifies a temporary interruption with the clear expectation that the proceedings will resume at a specified later time or date. This is distinct from an adjournment, which typically marks the conclusion of the proceedings.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a recess:

• Imagine a lengthy criminal trial where a jury has been hearing testimony all day. The judge might announce, "The court will now take a recess for the evening and will reconvene tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM." This means the trial is temporarily paused, allowing everyone to rest, but it is not over. All parties are expected to return and continue the proceedings at the specified time the next day.

• Consider a state legislature that is in the midst of a busy session, debating several important bills. After a particularly intense morning of debate, the presiding officer might declare, "We will now stand in recess until 1:30 PM to allow members to have lunch and attend committee meetings." The legislative session is temporarily halted, but the work of debating and voting on bills will resume when the recess concludes.

• During a public hearing conducted by a city's planning commission regarding a new construction project, a complex technical report is introduced. To give the commissioners and the public an opportunity to review the new information, the chairperson might state, "We will take a 30-minute recess to allow everyone to examine the updated environmental impact statement." The hearing is briefly paused, with the understanding that it will continue once the review period is complete.