Also known as:expeditiously · expeditious · promptly · without delay
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
Action taken promptly and without unnecessary delay.
Sources & Authorities· 36 primary sources
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Cases
Statutes
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Attorney Corrects Missing Signature
Edith Eberhardt filed a complaint missing her attorney's signature. Opposing counsel notified her of the defect the next day. Edith's attorney filed a signed version two days later, allowing the case to proceed without dismissal.
Complaint Filed After Warrantless Arrest
Police arrested Ezra Eastman without a warrant for an alleged offense in the Northern District. Prosecutors filed a probable cause complaint in that district the following morning, satisfying the filing requirement before the initial appearance.
Inadvertent Privilege Disclosure Remedied
Echo Systems produced documents in discovery that included one privileged email. Upon discovery, counsel immediately notified the recipient, demanded return of the document, and followed the required sequestration steps the same day.
Put it into practice
Test Yourself
10
Practice Questions5
Federal Rules
Uniform Acts
Model Codes
Restatements
Judge Notifies Parties of Ex Parte Contact
During a scheduling call, a judge received an ex parte message from Eileen Epstein's counsel about a hearing date. The judge immediately emailed all parties the substance of the message and set a deadline for responses before ruling.
Lawyer Delivers Client Funds Quickly
Emmett Egan received a settlement check on behalf of his client Esther Eisenberg. He deposited the funds and sent Esther her share with an accounting within forty-eight hours of receipt.
Landlord Ends Unauthorized Storage
Everest Holdings stored equipment in a leased space rented to Eclipse Manufacturing. After Eclipse complained, Everest removed the equipment within three days, ending the interference before further remedies were pursued.
Common questions
Frequently Asked
2
How does expeditious action affect a personal representative's duties?+
A personal representative must settle and distribute the estate as expeditiously and efficiently as is consistent with the best interests of the estate, proceeding without court adjudication unless necessary.
When must a trustee act in an expeditious manner regarding trust property?+
A trustee who has resigned or been removed must proceed expeditiously to deliver trust property to the successor, and upon termination must distribute the property expeditiously subject to a reasonable reserve.
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