Opinion ID: 839228
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the scra's tolling provision is mandatory

Text: Plaintiff argues that the Court of Appeals erred by not addressing his SCRA argument because the tolling provision of the SCRA is mandatory and cannot be waived. We first address plaintiffs contention that the tolling provision of the SCRA is mandatory. The former Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 underwent significant amendment in 2003 when Congress enacted the SCRA. [11] Before the amendment, former 50 USC Appendix 525 provided in part: The period of military service shall not be included in computing any period now or hereafter to be limited by any law, regulation, or order for the bringing of any action or proceeding in any court . . . by or against any person in military service. . . . [Emphasis added.] The substantive equivalent of this provision is now in 50 USC Appendix 526(a), which provides in relevant part: The period of a servicemember's military service may not be included in computing any period limited by law, regulation, or order for the bringing of any action or proceeding in a court . . . by or against the servicemember. . . . [Emphasis added.] The United States Supreme Court interpreted former 50 USC Appendix 525 of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act and held that it was unambiguous, unequivocal, and unlimited. [12] We do not believe that the 2003 amendments inserted any ambiguity into the meaning of the tolling provision, and we similarly hold that current 50 USC Appendix 526 is unambiguous, unequivocal, and unlimited. The Court of Appeals opined that the change from shall not to may not rendered the tolling discretionary. Although the term shall is clearly mandatory, and the term may is typically permissive, may not, in the context of 50 USC Appendix 526(a), is not permissive. May not, as it is used in 50 USC Appendix 526(a), has the same meaning and import as cannot or its predecessor, shall not. [13] The provision clearly provides that the time that a servicemember is in military service is excluded from any period of limitations. The Court of Appeals erred in its conclusion that the amendment rendered the tolling provision discretionary. We hold that the tolling provision, 50 USC Appendix 526(a), is mandatory. We must next consider whether the act nonetheless permits waiver of the mandatory tolling provision.