Equitable tolling
Equitable tolling is like giving you extra time to do something important even though you missed the deadline.
Let's say your teacher gave you 1 week to turn in your homework, but you got sick and couldn't do it on time. Your teacher might be kind and give you some extra time to finish it.
That's kind of what equitable tolling does. It gives people a little bit more time to do something important, even if they missed the deadline for a good reason.
For example, if someone missed the deadline to file a lawsuit because they were very sick or they didn't understand the rules, they might be able to get some extra time to file their case. Or, if someone missed the deadline to apply for a government benefit because of a disability or language barrier, they might get more time to apply.
Equitable tolling is something that judges can use to be fair to people who had a good reason for missing a deadline. They might say, "Even though you missed the deadline, I think it's fair to give you some more time to try again."
Let's say your teacher gave you 1 week to turn in your homework, but you got sick and couldn't do it on time. Your teacher might be kind and give you some extra time to finish it.
That's kind of what equitable tolling does. It gives people a little bit more time to do something important, even if they missed the deadline for a good reason.
For example, if someone missed the deadline to file a lawsuit because they were very sick or they didn't understand the rules, they might be able to get some extra time to file their case. Or, if someone missed the deadline to apply for a government benefit because of a disability or language barrier, they might get more time to apply.
Equitable tolling is something that judges can use to be fair to people who had a good reason for missing a deadline. They might say, "Even though you missed the deadline, I think it's fair to give you some more time to try again."