Inputs you will need

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Deadline calculator.

To calculate litigation deadlines in Canada with DocketMath’s deadline calculator, you’ll need a small, repeatable set of inputs. Think of them as the “ingredients list” for any deadline you want to run.

Here’s the high-level checklist:

• Jurisdiction and level of court
• Governing procedural rules
• Trigger event
• Trigger date
• Type of deadline (what you’re trying to calculate)
• Filing vs. service (or both)
• Service method (if relevant)
• Calendar type (court days vs. clear days vs. calendar days)
• Time-of-day cut‑off (if applicable)
• Holiday and weekend rules
• Any special or override rules (e.g., consent, court order)
• Time zone (if cross‑province or cross‑border is involved)

Below is each input, how it affects the math, and what to watch for.

Where to find each input

Most inputs live in the case file, contracts, or docket entries. Dates usually come from the triggering event notice; rates and caps come from governing documents or statute; and amounts come from the ledger or judgment. Record the source for each value so the run is reproducible.

1. Jurisdiction and level of court

What this is
Which Canadian jurisdiction and which court you’re in, for example:

• Federal Court of Canada
• Ontario Superior Court of Justice
• British Columbia Supreme Court
• Court of Appeal vs. trial court, etc.

Why it matters
Each jurisdiction and level of court has its own procedural rules and deadline quirks. The same “30 days” can mean different things depending on:

• Whether weekends are excluded
• How holidays are defined
• Whether there are “clear days” rules
• Whether time runs differently for appeals vs. motions

Where to find it

• Your originating document (Statement of Claim, Notice of Civil Claim, Application, etc.)
• The court file header or style of cause
• Any order or endorsement already made in the case

2. Governing procedural rules

What this is
The specific rule set that governs your deadline, for example:

• Federal Courts Rules
• Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure
• Alberta Rules of Court
• Provincial Small Claims rules
• Court of Appeal rules for your province

Why it matters
DocketMath uses the rule set to:

• Decide how to count days (calendar vs. business vs. clear days)
• Apply “deemed service” rules based on service method
• Apply extensions or suspensions (e.g., during court closures or special periods)
• Interpret special timelines (e.g., appeal periods, motion notice periods)

Where to find it

• The rule citation in your materials (e.g., “Rule 3.02”, “Rule 6.01”)
• Practice directions or notices to the profession
• The court’s website (rules and practice directions section)

3. Trigger event

What this is
The legal event that starts the clock. Examples:

• Service of a Statement of Claim / Notice of Civil Claim
• Pronouncement or entry of an order or judgment
• Service of reasons for decision
• Filing or service of a motion or application
• Delivery of a notice of appeal

Why it matters
The same rule can behave very differently depending on the trigger:

• “30 days after service” vs. “30 days after the order is made”
• Events tied to “receipt” vs. “service” vs. “filing”
• Events that only start when a document is perfected (e.g., entered order)

Where to find it

• The rule text itself (e.g., “A party shall serve… within 20 days after service of…”)
• The court order or endorsement (look for “within X days of…”)
• Procedural checklists or forms that specify timelines

4. Trigger date

What this is
The actual calendar date of the trigger event, such as:

• The date of service (actual or deemed)
• The date an order was made or entered
• The date reasons were released
• The date a notice was filed

Why it matters
DocketMath uses the trigger date as “Day 0” or “Day 1” depending on how the rule is worded:

• “Within X days after” → usually excludes the trigger date
• “At least X days before” → counts backwards from a target event
• “Not later than X days after” → may have inclusive counting

Where to find it

• Affidavit of service or proof of service
• Court order or endorsement (often on the first page)
• Court stamp on filed documents
• Email headers or transmission receipts (for electronic service)

5. Type of deadline

What this is
The specific thing you want DocketMath to calculate, for example:

• Last day to file a Statement of Defence / Response
• Deadline to file a Notice of Appeal
• Time to serve motion materials before a hearing
• Deadline to serve a responding record or factum
• Deadline to perfect an appeal

Why it matters
This tells DocketMath which rule pathway to follow. Different deadlines:

• May use different base time periods (e.g., 10, 20, 30 days)
• May have different counting rules (e.g., appeal vs. ordinary motion)
• Sometimes interact with each other (e.g., response deadlines linked to initial filing)

Where to find it

• The rule number and heading you’re working under
• The text of a court order specifying a deadline
• Standard court forms (they often describe the required timing)

6. Filing vs. service (or both)

What this is
Whether the rule is about:

• Service only
• Filing only
• Both service and filing (sometimes in a specific order)

Why it matters
Canadian rules often distinguish between:

• When a document must be served on other parties
• When it must be filed with the court
• When proof of service must be filed

DocketMath needs to know which event you’re targeting so it can:

• Apply the correct counting rule
• Reflect cut‑off times that apply only to filing or only to service

Where to find it

• The wording of the rule (“serve and file”, “serve”, “file”)
• Court practice directions on electronic filing and service

7. Service method

What this is
How the document was or will be served, for example:

• Personal service
• Courier
• Mail
• Email or electronic service portal
• Fax (where permitted)

Why it matters
Many Canadian rules adjust timelines or deemed service dates based on service method. This can affect:

• When the clock starts (e.g., immediate vs. deemed after X days)
• Whether you must add extra days to the base period
• Whether weekends/holidays affect deemed service

Where to find it

• Affidavit of service
• Email or electronic service confirmation
• Cover letters or courier receipts
• The rule specifying acceptable service methods

8. Calendar type (days counting rule)

What this is
How days are counted under the applicable rule:

• Calendar days (every day, including weekends and holidays)
• Business/court days (weekends and holidays excluded)
• “Clear days” (excluding both the trigger day and the final day)
• Hybrid approaches (e.g., count calendar days but extend if deadline falls on a holiday)

Why it matters
This is where many manual calculations go wrong. DocketMath uses the calendar type to:

• Decide whether to count weekends and holidays
• Determine whether “Day 1” is the trigger date or the following day
• Adjust the final date if it lands on a non‑business day

Where to find it

• General “computation of time” rule in your rule set (often near the front)
• Specific rules that override the general computation rule for certain deadlines

9. Time-of-day cut‑off

What this is
Any time-of-day requirement attached to the deadline, for example:

• “By 4:30 p.m. local time”
• “Before the close of business”
• Electronic filing cut‑offs (e.g., “documents filed after 11:59 p.m. are deemed filed the next day”)

Why it matters
Some Canadian courts treat:

• Paper filing cut‑offs differently from e‑filing cut‑offs
• After‑hours filings as filed the next business day
• Same‑day service differently depending on the time served

DocketMath can reflect the date; you still need to be aware of the time element.

Where to find it

• Court website (filing office hours, e‑filing rules)
• Practice directions and notices to the profession
• The text of any specific order in your case

10. Holiday and weekend rules

What this is
The rules for what happens if a deadline falls on:

• A Saturday or Sunday
• A statutory holiday
• A court closure or special holiday period

Why it matters
Most rules either:

• Push the deadline forward to the next court day, or
• Treat certain days as non‑counting days altogether

DocketMath uses jurisdiction‑specific calendars to apply these rules, but the logic still depends on:

• Whether your rule uses calendar days or court days
• Any special holiday suspensions that apply to your case type

Where to find it

• Computation‑of‑time rule in your rule set
• Court holiday calendars and closure notices
• Practice directions about special periods (e.g., summer recess rules, if applicable)

11. Special or override rules

What this is
Anything that modifies the standard deadline, such as:

• Court orders extending or abridging time
• Consent between parties to vary a timetable
• Statutory provisions that override the usual rules (e.g., hard appeal deadlines

Inputs you will need

Use this checklist to gather the core inputs before you run the Deadline tool.

• trigger event date
• rule set (civil/criminal or local rule)
• court level or venue
• service method
• holiday/weekend calendar
• time zone and filing cutoffs

When rules change, rerun the calculation with updated inputs and store the revision in the matter record.

Run it

Enter the inputs in DocketMath and run the Deadline calculation to generate a clean breakdown: Run the calculator.

When rules change, rerun the calculation with updated inputs and store the revision in the matter record.

If an assumption is uncertain, document it alongside the calculation so the result can be re-run later.

Related reading

• Why deadlines results differ in Canada

• Worked example: deadlines in New York

• Deadlines reference snapshot for New Hampshire

• Why we started the DocketMath blog