Updated June 17, 2026
Calculate your filing deadline
Add or subtract calendar or court days from any date, skipping weekends and U.S. federal holidays. A reference tool only. Verify all deadlines against your court's specific rules.
To calculate a filing deadline, identify three things: the trigger date (when the clock starts), the number of days allowed, and the counting method (calendar days or court/business days). Under FRCP Rule 6(a)(1)(A) the trigger date is day zero and counting begins on day one. If the deadline lands on a weekend or court holiday, it moves to the next court day. A miscount of even one day can end a case. Verify your result against the applicable court rule and consult an attorney. This is general educational information, not legal advice.
Calendar days vs court days
Calendar days count every day, weekends and holidays included. Most statutes of limitations work this way, though the final date can still shift if it falls on a weekend or holiday. Court days, the method many procedural deadlines use for response times and motion deadlines, skip weekends and federal or court holidays entirely. The rule itself tells you which method applies. Read it before you start counting.
How to count: the basic rule
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(a)(1)(A) and most state equivalents, the day of the triggering event is day zero and counting begins on day one. An event on Monday with a 7-day response window puts day one on Tuesday and the deadline on the following Monday. If that Monday is a holiday, it shifts to the next court day. The rule reads as a single clean sentence, which is exactly why so many people get it wrong.
When the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday
Under FRCP Rule 6(a)(1)(C) and most state rules, if the last day of the period falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline rolls to the next day that is not one of those. That rollover applies to computed deadlines. A statute of limitations with a fixed expiration date (such as "filed within 2 years") may be treated differently. Confirm with your court's rules.
Using the deadline calculator
The deadline calculator takes a trigger date, a number of days, and a choice between calendar days and court days, then returns the deadline. Treat it as a cross-check, not the final word. Local court rules add wrinkles that no general calculator captures, so verify the result against the rule that actually governs your filing.
Common mistakes in deadline calculation
The usual errors are predictable: counting the trigger date as day one when most rules make it day zero, forgetting that a deadline shifts off a holiday, confusing calendar days with court days, or applying the wrong rule entirely. For an actual court filing, have an attorney verify the deadline or use the court's own calendaring guidelines. One day late is still late.
Calculate your filing deadline
Add or subtract calendar or court days from any date, skipping weekends and U.S. federal holidays. A reference tool only. Verify all deadlines against your court's specific rules.