Court Filing Rules by State — 2026 Deadline Counting Guide
27 of 51 states apply only the last-day rule: if the last day of any deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day — but intermediate weekends are never excluded regardless of the period length. 21 states use a 7-day threshold (like Federal Rule 6(a)), excluding intermediate weekends for periods of 7 days or less. Delaware uses a 5-day threshold; Kansas uses an 11-day threshold. All 50 states plus DC have e-filing available, though cutoff times vary — federal courts allow submissions until 11:59 PM while many state courts cut off at 5:00 PM.
Two Systems: Last-Day Rule vs. Threshold Rule
States split into two camps. 27 states apply only the last-day rule: the final day of a deadline shifts to the next business day if it falls on a weekend or holiday, but intermediate weekends are always counted regardless of how short the period is. These include California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Florida.
24 states use a threshold rule — mirroring Federal Rule 6(a) — where intermediate weekends are excluded for short periods. Most of these (21 states) use a 7-day threshold. The outliers: Delaware applies a 5-day threshold (meaning fewer deadlines skip intermediate weekends), and Kansas applies an 11-day threshold (the most protective, meaning more deadlines benefit from weekend exclusion).
Why the Distinction Matters in Practice
The threshold rule only affects short deadlines — typically emergency responses, TRO oppositions, or expedited motions. A 5-day deadline starting Thursday lands the following Thursday (skipping the weekend) in a 7-day threshold state, but lands Tuesday in a last-day-rule state. For 30-day or longer deadlines, both systems produce the same result: calendar days throughout, with only the final day adjusting for weekends.
Federal court deadlines always follow Federal Rule 6(a) regardless of which state the court sits in. A federal district court in Texas (last-day state) still uses the 7-day federal threshold for deadlines governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. State-law deadlines filed in federal court (e.g., state statute of limitations in diversity cases) follow the state rule.
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50-State Comparison
| State | Deadline Method | Counting Rule | Key Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends excluded for periods under 7 days per ARCP Rule 6(a) | Ala. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Alaska | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends and holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per Civil Rule 6(a) | Alaska R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Arizona | Last-day rule | Calendar days; last day falling on weekend/holiday extends to next business day per Rule 6(a) | Ariz. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Arkansas | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends excluded when period is less than 7 days per ARCP Rule 6(a) | Ark. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| California | Last-day rule | Calendar days; Code of Civil Procedure § 12a extends deadlines falling on weekends/holidays | Cal. Civ. Proc. Code §§ 12, 12a, 12c, 1013 |
| Colorado | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day | Colo. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Connecticut | Last-day rule | Calendar days; Practice Book § 7-17 governs computation | Conn. Practice Book § 7-17 |
| Delaware | 5-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends/holidays excluded for periods under 5 days per Superior Court Civil Rule 6(a) | Del. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 6(a) |
| District of Columbia | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; follows federal rules — weekends excluded for periods under 7 days | D.C. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 6(a) |
| Florida | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends/holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per Rule 1.090(a) | Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.090(a) |
| Georgia | Last-day rule | Calendar days; when last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to end of next business day | O.C.G.A. § 1-3-1(d)(3) |
| Hawaii | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per HRCP Rule 6(a) | Haw. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Idaho | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends/holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per IRCP 6(a) | Idaho R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Illinois | Last-day rule | Calendar days; last day falling on Saturday, Sunday, or court holiday extends to next business day per Rule 2-1001 | 735 ILCS 5/2-1001; Ill. Sup. Ct. R. 2 |
| Indiana | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends/holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per Trial Rule 6(A) | Ind. Trial Rule 6(A) |
| Iowa | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day is Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not a weekend or holiday | Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.407 |
| Kansas | 11-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 11 days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-206(a) |
| Kentucky | Last-day rule | Calendar days; last day falling on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday extends to next business day per CR 6.01 | Ky. R. Civ. P. 6.01 |
| Louisiana | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on legal holiday, deadline extends to next business day per CCP Art. 5059 | La. Code Civ. Proc. art. 5059 |
| Maine | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 7 days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded | Me. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Maryland | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when prescribed period is less than 7 days | Md. Rule 1-203(a) |
| Massachusetts | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day | Mass. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Michigan | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day per MCR 1.108(1) | Mich. Ct. R. 1.108(1) |
| Minnesota | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days | Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.01 |
| Mississippi | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period runs until end of next business day | Miss. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Missouri | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday | Mo. R. Civ. P. 44.01(a) |
| Montana | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; weekends/holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per M.R.Civ.P. 6(a) | Mont. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Nebraska | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded for periods less than 7 days | Neb. Ct. R. of Pldg. § 6-106(a) |
| Nevada | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day is Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday other than combating deadline, period extends to next judicial day | Nev. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| New Hampshire | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 7 days, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded | N.H. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 3 |
| New Jersey | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, action may be performed on next business day per R. 1:3-1 | N.J. Ct. R. 1:3-1 |
| New Mexico | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days | N.M. R. Civ. P. 1-006(A) |
| New York | Last-day rule | Calendar days; last day falling on Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday extends to next business day per CPLR 2B | N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 2103, 2B |
| North Carolina | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 7 days, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded from computation | N.C. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| North Dakota | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days per Rule 6(a) | N.D. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Ohio | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 7 days, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded per Civ.R. 6(A) | Ohio Civ. R. 6(A) |
| Oklahoma | 5-day threshold | Calendar days; when period is less than 5 days, intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 2006(a) |
| Oregon | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or court closure day, period extends to next day court is open | Or. R. Civ. P. 10(A) |
| Pennsylvania | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day per Rule 106(b) | Pa. R. Civ. P. 106(b) |
| Rhode Island | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period runs until end of next business day | R.I. Super. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| South Carolina | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when prescribed period is less than 7 days | S.C. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| South Dakota | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days | S.D. Codified Laws § 15-6-6(a) |
| Tennessee | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not such a day | Tenn. R. Civ. P. 6.01 |
| Texas | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not such a day per TRCP 4 | Tex. R. Civ. P. 4 |
| Utah | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not such a day | Utah R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Vermont | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day | Vt. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Virginia | Last-day rule | Calendar days; computation excludes day of event | Va. Sup. Ct. R. 1:7 |
| Washington | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day per CR 6(a) | Wash. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 6(a) |
| West Virginia | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day is Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next day that is not such a day | W. Va. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
| Wisconsin | Last-day rule | Calendar days; if last day falls on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, period extends to next business day | Wis. Stat. § 801.15(1)(a) |
| Wyoming | 7-day threshold | Calendar days; intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excluded when period is less than 7 days | Wyo. R. Civ. P. 6(a) |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the last-day rule?▾
The last-day rule — the baseline rule in all 50 states — means that if the last day of any deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or court holiday, the deadline automatically extends to the next business day. This is the only weekend protection in the 27 states that apply it universally. In states with a threshold rule, the last-day rule still applies to all deadlines; the threshold simply adds an additional protection for intermediate weekends during short periods.
How does the 7-day threshold rule work?▾
The 7-day threshold rule — used in 21 states and mirroring Federal Rule 6(a) — means that intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded from a deadline period only when the total period is 7 days or shorter. For example, a 5-day response deadline that begins on a Thursday skips the weekend and lands the following Thursday. But a 30-day deadline counts every calendar day including weekends (subject to the last-day rule for the final day only). Delaware uses a 5-day threshold; Kansas uses 11 days.
Does service by mail add days to deadlines?▾
Yes, in most jurisdictions. When service or notice is made by mail, courts add extra days to the response period. Federal courts add 3 days under FRCP 6(d). Many state courts add 3 to 5 extra days. The mail add-on is triggered by the method of service — deadlines triggered by personal service, court filing, or judicial ruling generally do not receive the mail extension. Some courts have eliminated the mail add-on for electronic service. Always check the specific local rules for the court where the matter is pending.
What happens when a court deadline falls on a court holiday?▾
Court holidays are treated the same as Saturdays and Sundays: if a deadline would otherwise fall on a day the court is closed, it extends to the next day the court is open. Courts observe state holidays not always observed by the federal government. Federal court deadlines follow the federal legal holiday schedule, while state court deadlines follow each state's official holiday list, which may differ. Court websites typically publish an annual holiday calendar.
Do electronic filing deadlines differ from paper filing deadlines?▾
Yes, often significantly. Paper filing deadlines are tied to the court's business hours — typically by 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM on the last day. Electronic filing systems are usually available 24 hours, but courts set specific cutoff times. Federal courts accept e-filings until 11:59 PM local time. Many state courts set e-filing cutoffs at 5:00 PM or midnight. Filings submitted after the cutoff are typically docketed as filed on the following business day. All 50 states and DC have e-filing available in at least their trial courts.
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