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Chapter VIII Time Periods and Service

Article 79 Time periods shall be calculated by the hour, the day and the month.

The hour and day from which a time period begins shall not be counted as within the time period.

A legally prescribed time period shall not include travelling time. Appeals or other documents that have been mailed before the expiration of the time period shall not be regarded as overdue.

Article 80 When a party cannot meet a deadline due to irresistible causes or for other legitimate reasons, he may, within five days after the obstacle is removed, apply to continue the proceedings that should have been completed before the expiration of the time period.

A People's Court shall decide whether or not to approve the application described in the preceding paragraph.

Article 81 Summons, notices and other court documents shall be delivered to the addressee himself; if the addressee is absent, the documents may be received on his behalf by an adult member of his family or a responsible person of his unit.

If the addressee or a recipient on his behalf refuses to accept the documents or refuses to sign and affix his seal to the receipt, the person serving the documents may ask the addressee's neighbours or other witnesses to the scene, explain the situation to them, leave the documents at the addressee's residence, record on the service certificate the particulars of the refusal and the date of service and sign his name to it; the service shall thus be deemed to have been completed.