Legal Definitions - suspense

In a legal context, suspense refers to a temporary halt, pause, or interruption of a process, right, or obligation. It signifies that something is put on hold for a period, rather than being permanently ended or fully active.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Court Proceedings: Imagine a situation where a judge decides to put a court case on hold. For instance, if new evidence emerges that requires further investigation, the judge might order a suspense of the trial proceedings. This means the trial is temporarily paused, not dismissed, allowing time for the new evidence to be examined before the case continues.

  This example illustrates a temporary cessation or halt of a legal process.

• Contractual Obligations: Consider a business contract where one party is unable to fulfill a specific obligation due to unforeseen circumstances. The parties might mutually agree to a suspense of that particular obligation for a defined period. For example, a supplier might be granted a suspense of their delivery deadline for two weeks due to a natural disaster affecting their production, with the understanding that deliveries will resume thereafter.

  This demonstrates a temporary cessation of a contractual duty or requirement.

• Professional Licensing: A professional regulatory body might place a license in suspense if there are allegations of misconduct that require investigation. For example, an architect's license could be put in suspense pending a review of a complaint about a building design flaw. During this period, the architect cannot practice, but their license is not permanently revoked; it is merely on a temporary hold until the investigation concludes.

  This exemplifies a temporary cessation of a professional right or privilege.