Source: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode11a/usc_sec_11a_00009006----000-notes.html
Timestamp: 2013-12-10 00:06:39
Document Index: 593500732

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1111', '§ 1111', '§ 557', '§ 557', '§ 1116', '§ 527', '§ 452']

United States Code: Title 11a,Rule 9006. Computing and Extending Time | LII / Legal Information Institute
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(As amended Mar. 30, 1987, eff. Aug. 1, 1987; Apr. 25, 1989, eff. Aug. 1, 1989; Apr. 30, 1991, eff. Aug. 1, 1991; Apr. 23, 1996, eff. Dec. 1, 1996; Apr. 26, 1999, eff. Dec. 1, 1999; Apr. 23, 2001, eff. Dec. 1, 2001; Apr. 25, 2005, eff. Dec. 1, 2005; Apr. 23, 2008, eff. Dec. 1, 2008; Mar. 26, 2009, eff. Dec. 1, 2009.)
Subdivision (b) is patterned after Rule 6
(b) F.R.Civ.P. and Rule 26
(b) F.R.App.P.
In the interest of prompt administration of bankruptcy cases certain time periods may not be extended. Paragraph (2) lists the rules which establish time periods which may not be extended: Rule 1007
(d), time for filing a list of 20 largest creditors; Rule 1017
(b)(3), 30 day period for sending notice of dismissal for failure to pay the filing fee; Rule 1019
(2), 20 day period for notice of conversion to a chapter 7 case; Rule 2003
(a), meeting of creditors not more than 40 days after order for relief; Rule 2003
(d), 10 days for filing a motion for resolution of an election dispute; Rule 3014, time for the § 1111(b)(2) election; Rule 4001
(b), expiration of stay 30 days following the commencement of final hearing; Rule 7052
(b), 10 day period to move to amend findings of fact; Rule 9015
(f), 20 day period to move for judgment notwithstanding the verdict; Rule 9023, 10 day period to move for a new trial; and Rule 9024, time to move for relief from judgment.
Many rules which establish a time for doing an act also contain a specific authorization and standard for granting an extension of time and, in some cases, limit the length of an extension. In some instances it would be inconsistent with the objective of the rule and sound administration of the case to permit extension under Rule 9006
(b)(1), but with respect to the other rules it is appropriate that the power to extend time be supplemented by Rule 9006
(b)(1). Unless a rule which contains a specific authorization to extend time is listed in paragraph (3) of this subdivision, an extension of the time may be granted under paragraph (1) of this subdivision. If a rule is included in paragraph (3) an extension may not be granted under paragraph (1). The following rules are listed in paragraph (3): Rule 1006
(b)(2), time for paying the filing fee in installments; Rule 3002
(c), 90 day period for filing a claim in a chapter 7 or 13 case; Rule 4003
(b), 30 days for filing objections to a claim of exemptions; Rule 4004
(a), 60 day period to object to a discharge; Rule 4007
(b), 60 day period to file a dischargeability complaint; and Rule 8002, 10 days for filing a notice of appeal.
Subdivision (c). Paragraph (1) of this subdivision authorizes the reduction of the time periods established by these rules or an order of the court. Excluded from this general authority are the time periods established by the rules referred to in paragraph (2) of the subdivision: Rule 2002 (a) and (b), 20 day and 25 day notices of certain hearings and actions in the case; Rule 2003
(a), meeting of creditors to be not less than 20 days after the order for relief; Rule 3002
(c), 90 days for filing a claim in a chapter 7 or 13 case; Rule 3014, time for § 1111(b)(2) election; Rule 3015, 10 day period after filing of petition to file a chapter 13 plan; Rule 4003
(a), 15 days for a dependent to claim exemptions; Rule 4004
(c), 60 day period to file a dischargeability complaint; and Rule 8002, 10 days for filing a notice of appeal. Reduction of the time periods fixed in the rules referred to in this subdivision would be inconsistent with the purposes of those rules and would cause harmful uncertainty.
Subdivision (d) is derived from Rule 6
(d) F.R.Civ.P. The reference is to Rule 9023 instead of to Rule 59
(c) F.R.Civ.P. because Rule 9023 incorporates Rule 59 F.R.Civ.P. but excepts therefrom motions to reconsider orders allowing and disallowing claims.
Subdivision (f) is new and is the same as Rule 6
(e) F.R.Civ.P.
Subdivision (b). The reference to Rule 4001
(b) in paragraph (3) is deleted because of the amendments made to Rule 4001. Rule 9033, which is new, contains specific provisions governing the extension of time to file objections to proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. Rule 9033 is added to the rules referred to in paragraph (3).
Subdivision (c). Rule 4001
(b)(2) and (c)(2) provide that a final hearing on a motion to use cash collateral or a motion for authority to obtain credit may be held no earlier than 15 days after the filing of the motion. These two rules are added to paragraph (2) to make it clear that the 15 day period may not be reduced. Rule 9033 is also added to paragraph (2).
Subdivision (g) is new. Under § 557 of the Code, as enacted by the 1984 amendments, the court is directed to expedite grain storage facility cases. This subdivision makes it clear this rule does not limit the court’s authority under § 557.
The original Advisory Committee Note to this rule included the 25 day notice period of Rule 2002
(b) as a time period which may not be reduced under Rule 9006
(c)(2). This was an error.
As a result of the 1989 amendment to this rule, the method of computing time under subdivision (a) is not the same as the method of computing time under Rule 6
(a) F.R.Civ.P. Subdivision (a) is amended to provide that it governs the computation of time periods prescribed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure when the Bankruptcy Rules make a civil rule applicable to a bankruptcy case or proceeding.
Subdivision (b)(2) is amended because of the deletion of Rule 1019
(2). Reference to Rule 9015
(f) is deleted because of the abrogation of Rule 9015 in 1987.
Subdivision (b)(3) is amended to limit the enlargement of time regarding dismissal of a chapter 7 case for substantial abuse in accordance with Rule 1017
Subdivision (c)(2) is amended to conform to the abrogation of Rule 2002
(a)(4) and the renumbering of Rule 2002
(a)(8) to Rule 2002
(b)(2) is amended to conform to the abrogation of Rule 1017
GAP Report on Rule 9006. The proposed amendment to Rule 9006
(b)(2) has been added as a technical change to conform to the abrogation of Rule 1017
(b)(3). The proposed amendment to Rule 9006
(c)(2), providing that the time under Rule 1019
(6) to file a request for payment of an administrative expense after a case is converted to chapter 7 could not be reduced by the court, was deleted. The proposed amendments to Rule 1019
(6) have been changed so that the court will fix the time for filing the request for payment. Since the court will fix the time limit, the court should have the power to reduce it. See GAP Report to Rule 1019
(b) F. R. Civ. P., which is made applicable in adversary proceedings by Rule 7005, is being restyled and amended to authorize service by electronic means—or any other means not otherwise authorized under Rule 5
(b)—if consent is obtained from the person served. The amendment to Rule 9006
(f) is intended to extend the three-day “mail rule” to service under Rule 5
(b)(2)(D), including service by electronic means. The three-day rule also will apply to service under Rule 5
(b)(2)(C) F. R. Civ. P. when the person served has no known address and the paper is served by leaving a copy with the clerk of the court.
(f) is amended, consistent with a corresponding amendment to Rule 6(e) of the F.R. Civ. P., to clarify the method of counting the number of days to respond after service either by mail or under Civil Rule 5
(b)(2)(C) or (D). Three days are added after the prescribed period expires. If, before the application of Rule 9006
(f), the prescribed period is less than 8 days, intervening Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded from the calculation under Rule 9006
(a). Some illustrations may be helpful.
Under existing Rule 9006
(a), assuming that there are no legal holidays and that a response is due in seven days, if a paper is filed on a Monday, the seven day response period commences on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday of the next week. Adding three days to the end of the period would extend it to Saturday, but because the response period ends on a weekend, the response day would be the following Monday, two weeks after the filing of the initial paper. If the paper is filed on a Tuesday, the seven-day response period would end on the following Thursday, and the response time would also be the following Monday. If the paper is mailed on a Wednesday, the initial seven-day period would expire nine days later on a Friday, but the response would again be due on the following Monday because of Rule 9006
(f). If the paper is mailed on a Thursday, however, the seven day period ends on Monday, eleven days after the mailing of the service because of the exclusion of the two intervening Saturdays and Sundays. The response is due three days later on the following Thursday. If the paper is mailed on a Friday, the seven day period would conclude on a Tuesday, and the response is due three days later on a Friday.
Changes Made After Publication and Comment. The phrase “would otherwise expire under Rule 9006
(a)” was added to the end of the rule to clarify further that the three day extension is to be added to the end of the period that is established under the counting provisions of Rule 9006
(a). This also maintains a parallel construction with Civil Rule 6
(e) in which the same addition to the rule was made after the public comment period.
Subdivision (b)(3) is amended to implement § 1116(3) of the Code, as amended by the 2005 amendments, which places specific limits on the extension of time for filing schedules and statements of financial affairs in a small business case.
Subdivisions (b)(3) and (c)(2) are amended to provide that enlargement or reduction of the time to file the statement of completion of a personal financial management course required by Rule 1007
(b)(7) are governed by Rule 1007
(c). Likewise, the amendments to subdivisions (b)(3) and (c)(2) recognize that the enlargement of time to file a reaffirmation agreement is governed by Rule 4008
(a), and that reduction of the time provided under that rule is not permitted.
Changes Made After Publication. Subdivision (b)(3) was amended to provide that Rule 9006 does not govern the enlargement of time to file a reaffirmation agreement, the statement required under Rule 1007
(b)(7), or the time to file schedules and statements of financial affairs in small business cases. The title of subdivision (b)(3) was also amended to more accurately describe the operation of the provision. Subdivision (c)(2) was amended to recognize that the court may not reduce the time under Rule 1007
(c) to file the statement required by Rule 1007
Subdivision (a). Subdivision (a) has been amended to simplify and clarify the provisions that describe how deadlines are computed. Subdivision (a) governs the computation of any time period found in a Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure, a Federal Rule of Civil Procedure, a statute, a local rule, or a court order. In accordance with Bankruptcy Rule 9029
(a), a local rule may not direct that a deadline be computed in a manner inconsistent with subdivision (a).
The time-computation provisions of subdivision (a) apply only when a time period must be computed. They do not apply when a fixed time to act is set. The amendments thus carry forward the approach taken in Violette v. P.A. Days, Inc., 427 F.3d 1015, 1016 (6th Cir. 2005) (holding that Civil Rule 6
(a) “does not apply to situations where the court has established a specific calendar day as a deadline”), and reject the contrary holding of In re American Healthcare Management, Inc., 900 F.2d 827, 832 (5th Cir. 1990) (holding that Bankruptcy Rule 9006
(a) governs treatment of date-certain deadline set by court order). If, for example, the date for filing is “no later than November 1, 2007,” subdivision (a) does not govern. But if a filing is required to be made “within 10 days” or “within 72 hours,” subdivision (a) describes how that deadline is computed.
Subdivision (a) does not apply when computing a time period set by a statute if the statute specifies a method of computing time. See, e.g., 11 U.S.C. § 527
(a)(2) (debt relief agencies must provide a written notice to an assisted person “not later than 3 business days” after providing bankruptcy assistance services).
Under former Rule 9006
(a), a period of eight days or more was computed differently than a period of less than eight days. Intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays were included in computing the longer periods, but excluded in computing the shorter periods. Former Rule 9006
(a) thus made computing deadlines unnecessarily complicated and led to counterintuitive results.
Most of the 10-day periods were adjusted to meet the change in computation method by setting 14 days as the new period. See, e.g., Rules 1007
(h) (10-day period to file supplemental schedule for property debtor becomes entitled to acquire after the commencement of the case is extended to 14 days); 3020(e) (10-day stay of order confirming a chapter 11 plan extended to 14 days); 8002(a) (10-day period in which to file notice of appeal extended to 14 days). A 14-day period also has the advantage that the final day falls on the same day of the week as the event that triggered the period—the14th day after a Monday, for example, is a Monday. This advantage of using week-long periods led to adopting seven-day periods to replace some of the periods set at less than 10 days, 21-day periods to replace 20-day periods, and 28-day periods to replace 25-day periods.Thirty-day and longer periods, however, were generally retained without change.
28 U.S.C. § 452 provides that “[a]ll courts of the United States shall be deemed always open for the purpose of filing proper papers, issuing and returning process, and making motions and orders.” A corresponding provision exists in Rule 5001
(a). Some courts have held that these provisions permit an after-hours filing by handing the papers to an appropriate official. See, e.g., Casalduc v. Diaz, 117 F.2d 915, 917 (1st Cir. 1941). Subdivision (a)(4) does not address the effect of the statute on the question of after-hours filing; instead, the rule is designed to deal with filings in the ordinary course without regard to Section 452.
Subdivision (a)(5). New subdivision (a)(5) defines the “next” day for purposes of subdivisions (a)(1)(C) and (a)(2)(C). The Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure contain both forward-looking time periods and backward-looking time periods. A forward-looking time period requires something to be done within a period of time after an event. See, e.g., Rules 1007
(c) ([“]the schedules, statements, and other documents shall be filed by the debtor within 14 days of the entry of the order for relief”); 1019(5)(B)(ii) (“the trustee, not later than 30 days after conversion of the case, shall file and transmit to the United States trustee a final report and account”); and 7012(a) (“If a complaint is duly served, the defendant shall serve an answer within 30 days after the issuance of the summons, except when a different time is prescribed by the court.”).
A backward-looking time period requires something to be done within a period of time before an event. See, e.g., Rules 6004
(b) (“an objection to a proposed use, sale, or lease of property shall be filed and served not less than seven days before the date set for the proposed action”); 9006(d) (“A written motion, other than one which may be heard ex parte, and notice of any hearing shall be served not later than seven days before the time specified for such hearing”). In determining what is the “next” day for purposes of subdivisions (a)(1)(C) and (a)(2)(C), one should continue counting in the same direction—that is, forward when computing a forward-looking period and backward when computing a backward-looking period. If, for example, a filing is due within 10 days after an event, and the tenth day falls on Saturday, September 1, 2007, then the filing is due on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 (Monday, September 3, is Labor Day). But if a filing is due 10 days before an event, and the tenth day falls on Saturday, September 1, then the filing is due on Friday, August 31.
Changes Made After Publication. The reference to Rule 6
(a)(1) in subdivision (a)(3)(A) at line 50 of the rule as it was published was corrected by referring instead to Rule 9006
The Standing Committee changed Rule 9006
(a)(6) to exclude state holidays from the definition of “legal holiday” for purposes of computing backward-counted periods; conforming changes were made to the Committee Note to subdivision (a)(6). In addition, the term “possession” was deleted from the definition of “state” in subdivision (a)(6), and a conforming change was made to the Committee Note.
[Subdivision (d).] The rule is amended to implement changes in connection with the amendment to Rule 9006