Also known as: reasonable times
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A period of time that is appropriate under the circumstances for performing an act or fulfilling an obligation when no specific duration is prescribed by agreement or statute. The period is measured by what a reasonable person would require to complete the required step given the nature of the transaction, the parties' positions, and any applicable commercial or legal standards.
Renata Russo leased commercial space from Regal Apparel. After she took possession, a sudden roof leak made the premises unusable for her retail operations. She notified the landlord and requested repairs. When the landlord took no corrective action for several weeks, the delay constituted a breach of the landlord's obligations.
Officers developed probable cause that Raymond Ramos kept illegal drugs inside his residence. While a team prepared a search warrant application, two detectives remained outside to prevent Ramos from entering alone. They held him for approximately two hours until the warrant arrived and the search could proceed without risk of evidence destruction.
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Raven Logistics contracted to buy specialized components from Radiant Technologies. Radiant sent a clear repudiation letter stating it would not deliver. Raven chose to await performance rather than immediately cancel. It waited a commercially reasonable period while monitoring market conditions before pursuing cover or damages.
Regina Robinson held a non-managing interest in a manager-managed LLC. She formally demanded that the managers cause the company to sue a third party for breach of a supply contract. After the managers took no action for several months, Robinson filed a derivative suit on the company's behalf.
Ronald Reed executed his will in the presence of two neighbors. Both neighbors signed the document the following day after confirming the testator's signature and acknowledgment. The short interval satisfied the requirement that each witness sign within a reasonable time after the witnessed event.
Rita Russell was named trustee in a family trust instrument. She received notice of the designation but took no steps to accept the role for over sixty days. Because she failed to accept within a reasonable time after learning of the appointment, she was deemed to have rejected the trusteeship.
Courts and factfinders measure the period by the time a reasonable person would need to perform the required act under the particular circumstances, including the nature of the transaction, the parties' knowledge, and any commercial usages. The inquiry is fact-specific and avoids rigid formulas.
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A party's own delay in making a request or demand can shorten the period considered reasonable for the responding party, because the overall timeline must still allow the responding party a fair opportunity to act once notice is given.
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Yes. When the need to preserve evidence or prevent immediate harm is urgent, a period as short as two hours may qualify as reasonable if the restraint is narrowly tailored and the authorities are acting diligently.
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The designated trustee is deemed to have rejected the trusteeship, freeing the settlor or beneficiaries to appoint a successor without further delay.
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…looking to the relief of the economic emergency, had passed an act to supply funds whereby mortgagors may be able within a reasonable time to refinance their mortgages or redeem from sales where the redemption has not expired. With this knowledge the court cannot well hold that the legislature had no basis in fact for the…