Equitable tolling

Equitable tolling is a safety valve courts use when strictly applying a deadline would be unjust. It often applies when the person filed in the wrong court in good faith, was misled by the other side, or was prevented from filing by circumstances beyond their control. To get the benefit, the person usually has to show they were diligent and that some extraordinary obstacle stood in their way. It is not granted easily and courts treat it as a rare exception, not a routine rescue. Some statutes and some courts refuse to allow it at all.