Changes in Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Effective December 1, 2009, numerous amendments to the FRCP will go into effect. The amendments, most of which will standardize the way time periods are calculated, affect some two dozen rules. Under the current FRCP, time periods are calculated differently for periods under 10 days than for longer periods of time. Shorter time periods ignore weekends and holidays, while longer time periods include them. Under the new rules, every day will be counted. Time periods have also been standardized so that most will be increments of seven days.