Deadline
A period or cut-off date by which you must do something, such as reply, object or pay. If you miss it, you can lose rights.
A deadline sets the date by which something must be done. It can follow from the law (for example the one-month appeal period, § 517 ZPO (Code of Civil Procedure)), from an order of a court or authority, or from a contract. What matters is when it starts, for example when a letter is received, and when it ends. In Germany, if the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline only expires on the next working day (§ 193 BGB (Civil Code)). If you miss a deadline you can lose rights; within narrow limits, restoration of the previous position (Wiedereinsetzung in den vorigen Stand) is possible (§§ 233 ff. ZPO). Never rely on an estimate, therefore: check the deadline on the letter itself, and with a lawyer's help if in doubt.
¹Note: This definition is for general orientation only and does not replace legal advice for your case.
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