Legal Definitions - timely

In legal terms, timely refers to an action or obligation that is completed or fulfilled by a specific deadline. This deadline might be set by a law, a contract, a court order, or a regulation. When something is done 'timely,' it means it was accomplished within the allowed timeframe, preventing any negative consequences that might arise from missing the deadline.

• Example 1: Court Filing

  Imagine a situation where a person wants to appeal a court's decision. The relevant law states that a notice of appeal must be filed with the court within 30 days of the judgment being issued. If the person files their notice of appeal on the 28th day after the judgment, their action is considered timely. This means they have met the legal requirement, and the court will proceed with reviewing their appeal. If they had filed on the 31st day, it would be considered *untimely*, and the court might refuse to hear the appeal.

• Example 2: Insurance Claim Notification

  Consider a homeowner whose property is damaged by a burst pipe. Their home insurance policy requires that all claims for damage be reported to the insurance company within 60 days of the incident. If the homeowner discovers the damage and reports it to their insurer 40 days later, their notification is timely. This allows the insurance company to process the claim according to the policy's terms. If they waited until day 61, the claim might be denied as *untimely* because it fell outside the contractual reporting window.

• Example 3: Product Warranty Claim

  A consumer buys a new refrigerator that comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty covering parts and labor for defects. If the refrigerator stops working due to a manufacturing defect nine months after purchase, and the consumer contacts the manufacturer to claim the warranty, their action is timely. The manufacturer is then legally obligated to repair or replace the refrigerator because the claim was made within the specified one-year warranty period. If the consumer waited until 13 months after purchase, the claim would be *untimely*, and the warranty would no longer apply.