A motion for extension of time is a short court filing that asks a judge to push back a deadline in a civil case. A good example of a motion for extension of time names the current deadline, proposes a specific new date, gives a concrete factual reason the original timeline no longer works, and states whether the opposing party agrees. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(b), a court can extend any deadline “for good cause” if the request comes in before the deadline expires.1Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 6 – Section: (b) Extending Time State courts use similar frameworks. The sample below shows how the parts fit together, followed by the standards judges apply and the mistakes that get these motions denied.
What the Motion Must Include
Every motion for extension of time contains the same core elements, though formatting rules vary by jurisdiction. Check your court’s local rules for page limits, margins, font, and electronic filing requirements before you file.
- A caption at the top identifying the court, the case name, and the case number.2Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 10 – Form of Pleadings
- A clear title, ideally naming the deadline at issue (for example, “Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Defendant’s First Set of Interrogatories”).
- The exact current deadline and the specific new date you are requesting. Open-ended asks get denied.
- A good-cause statement. This is the factual explanation for the delay and the substance of the motion.
- A statement of the opposing party’s position: consent, objection, or no response yet. Stipulated extensions are granted almost automatically.
- A signature block with the attorney’s printed name, bar number, address, phone, and email. Self-represented filers include their own contact information.
Sample Motion for Extension of Time
The following simplified example shows how these elements come together. Real motions follow local formatting rules, but the structure and tone are representative.
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE [DISTRICT]
JANE DOE, Plaintiff,
v.
ACME CORPORATION, Defendant.
Case No. 1:26-cv-00123
PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME TO COMPLETE EXPERT DISCOVERY
Plaintiff Jane Doe, through undersigned counsel, respectfully moves this Court for a 30-day extension of the deadline to complete expert discovery, from July 15, 2026, to August 14, 2026, and states the following in support:
1. On June 20, 2026, Defendant produced approximately 8,500 pages of technical documents in response to Plaintiff’s Second Request for Production. These documents are directly relevant to the opinions Plaintiff’s engineering expert must render.
2. Plaintiff’s expert, Dr. Robert Kim, has confirmed he cannot complete a thorough review of the newly produced materials and finalize his report by the current July 15, 2026 deadline.
3. Plaintiff has been diligent in meeting all prior case deadlines and has not previously requested an extension.
4. Undersigned counsel contacted Defendant’s counsel on June 25, 2026. Defendant does not oppose this request.
5. The requested 30-day extension will not affect the current trial date or any other case deadlines.
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests that this Court extend the expert discovery deadline to August 14, 2026.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Sarah Kline
Sarah Kline, Esq.
Bar No. 12345
Kline & Associates
100 Main Street, Suite 200
Anytown, US 00000
(555) 123-4567
skline@example.com
Notice what this motion does and does not do. It gives a specific new date, ties the request to a concrete event in the case, flags a clean prior record, and states the other side’s position up front. It does not apologize, over-explain, or lecture the judge on the good-cause standard. Most judges prefer brevity in routine extension requests.
The Proposed Order
Many courts require or prefer that you attach a proposed order to your motion. The proposed order is a separate, short document the judge can sign immediately if the motion is granted. Keep it to the essentials: the case caption, the new deadline, and a signature line for the judge. Do not restate your arguments.
A workable proposed order can be as short as one sentence: “IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s deadline to complete expert discovery is extended to August 14, 2026. All other deadlines remain unchanged.”
Filing and Serving the Motion
Once the motion and proposed order are ready, you file them with the court clerk. In federal court and most state courts, that means uploading through the court’s electronic filing system. You then serve copies on every other party. Electronic filing systems typically handle service automatically for registered parties, and no separate certificate of service is required under Federal Rule 5(d)(1)(B).3Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 5 – Serving and Filing Pleadings and Other Papers – Section: (d) Filing If you serve any party by mail or another non-electronic method, you must file a certificate of service stating the date and method of delivery.
One timing note worth knowing: when a document is served by mail, by leaving it with the court clerk, or by another non-electronic method the parties agreed to, Rule 6(d) adds three calendar days to the response deadline.4Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 6 – Section: (d) Additional Time After Certain Kinds of Service It does not apply when service runs through the court’s electronic filing system.
Good Cause: Why Judges Grant or Deny
Courts evaluate pre-deadline extension requests under a “good cause” standard. Rule 6(b)(1)(A) lets a judge extend any deadline, with or without a formal motion, as long as the request comes in before the deadline passes. Good cause is not a magic phrase. It means specific, factual reasons that explain why the original timeline no longer works.
Strong requests share a few features. They describe what happened concretely (something like “opposing counsel produced 14,000 pages of financial records on March 12, leaving insufficient time to review before the March 28 deadline”) rather than vaguely (“counsel needs more time”). They show the party has been diligent. And they address prejudice, explaining why the extension will not harm the other side or disrupt the case schedule. The sample motion above does all three in five numbered paragraphs.
If You Already Missed the Deadline
Missing a deadline does not automatically close the door, but the standard changes. Rule 6(b)(1)(B) allows a court to grant an extension after a deadline has expired only if the party shows the failure was due to “excusable neglect.” That is a higher bar than good cause.
Courts evaluate excusable neglect using a four-factor test from the Supreme Court’s decision in Pioneer Investment Services v. Brunswick Associates: the danger of prejudice to the opposing party, the length of the delay and its effect on the proceedings, the reason for the delay (including whether it was within the party’s reasonable control), and whether the party acted in good faith.5Legal Information Institute. Pioneer Investment Services Co. v. Brunswick Associates Limited Partnership A calendaring error by counsel might qualify. Deliberately ignoring a deadline because you hoped the case would settle will not. File before the deadline whenever you can.
Deadlines That Cannot Be Extended
Some deadlines are off limits. Rule 6(b)(2) bars a court from extending deadlines under Rules 50(b) and (d), 52(b), 59(b), (d), and (e), and 60(b). In plain terms, those cover post-trial motions: renewed motions for judgment as a matter of law, requests to amend findings, motions for a new trial, and motions for relief from a final judgment. These deadlines are treated as jurisdictional. If you miss one, no motion for extension of time will revive it.
Mistakes That Sink Extension Requests
Judges see these motions constantly, and a few patterns draw immediate skepticism. Vagueness is the biggest. “Counsel needs additional time to prepare” tells the judge nothing. “Defendant’s supplemental production on June 3 included 42 previously undisclosed contracts requiring analysis” tells the judge everything.
Waiting until the final day to file when you knew weeks earlier that the deadline was unrealistic is another red flag. Filing early signals respect for the court’s schedule and the other side’s preparation. Repeated requests on the same deadline also invite scrutiny. A first extension is almost always granted when the opposing party does not object; a third is a different conversation.
And always ask the other side before you file. If opposing counsel consents, many courts will grant the motion without a hearing. One email can turn a contested motion into a rubber stamp.