Home > West's Encyclopedia of American Law > Holiday

A day of recreation; a consecrated day; a day set apart for the suspension of business.

A legal holiday is a day set aside by statute for recreation, the cessation of work, or religious observance. It is a day that is legally designated as exempt from the conduct of all judicial proceedings, SERVICE OF PROCESS, and the demand and protest of COMMERCIAL PAPER. A prohibition against conducting public business transactions on holidays does not, however, have an effect upon private business. Private transactions will not, therefore, be invalidated solely because they are conducted on a holiday.