Legal Definitions - termtime

Termtime refers to the specific periods throughout the year when a court is officially open and actively conducting its judicial business. This includes hearing cases, holding trials, issuing judgments, and performing other essential court functions. It represents the operational calendar for courts, distinguishing these active periods from times when courts are in recess, on holiday, or otherwise not in session for substantive proceedings.

• Example 1: A lawyer advises a client that their appeal hearing cannot be scheduled until the next termtime begins, as the court is currently in its summer recess. The lawyer explains that while administrative tasks might continue, the judges will not be hearing new arguments or making rulings until the designated operational period resumes.

  Explanation: This illustrates that significant court activities, such as appeal hearings, are restricted to these specific operational periods known as termtime, highlighting the distinction between active court sessions and periods of recess.

• Example 2: The Supreme Court publishes its annual calendar, clearly marking the dates for its termtime sessions when oral arguments will be heard and decisions announced. This schedule helps legal professionals and the public anticipate when the court will be actively engaged in its core judicial duties, as opposed to its periods of non-sitting.

  Explanation: This demonstrates how termtime defines the active working periods for even high-level courts, guiding public and legal professional expectations regarding when judicial proceedings will occur.

• Example 3: A local district court judge informs the community that while the court clerk's office remains open year-round for filings and administrative inquiries, trials and substantive hearings are exclusively conducted during termtime. This policy ensures that judicial resources are efficiently concentrated during specific periods for the most impactful proceedings.

  Explanation: This example clarifies that termtime specifically refers to the periods of active judicial proceedings, even if some administrative functions of the court continue outside these designated times.