Legal Definitions - short notice

In legal contexts, short notice refers to a situation where a party is given a significantly limited amount of time to prepare for an event, respond to a request, or fulfill an obligation. This limited timeframe is often less than what is typically expected, customary, or legally required, potentially affecting the ability to act effectively or protect one's interests.

• Example 1: Employment Termination

  A company informs an employee on a Friday afternoon that their last day of employment will be the following Monday. This is considered short notice because the employee has only one business day's warning. Such a brief period is often insufficient for the individual to process the news, begin a job search, or make necessary personal and financial arrangements, especially if their employment contract or local labor laws typically stipulate a longer notice period for termination.

• Example 2: Contractual Delivery Schedule Change

  A construction company notifies its concrete supplier on Wednesday that it needs a large pour of concrete delivered by Friday morning for a critical phase of a project. This represents short notice for the supplier. Fulfilling such a substantial order typically requires more lead time for material acquisition, production scheduling, and logistics planning, making it challenging for the supplier to meet the demand without potentially disrupting other commitments or incurring additional costs.

• Example 3: Residential Lease Inspection

  A landlord sends a tenant an email on Tuesday evening stating that a mandatory property inspection will occur on Thursday morning. This constitutes short notice for the tenant. While some lease agreements or local regulations might permit 24-hour notice for entry, many tenants would find this insufficient time to adequately prepare their home for an inspection, tidy up, secure pets, or arrange to be present, especially if they have work or other commitments. A more customary or legally preferred notice period is often 48 or 72 hours for non-emergency entries.