Supreme Court Confirms "Reasonable Time" Filing Requirement Applies to Motions for Relief from Judgment on the Ground that the Judgment Is Void.

The article focuses on a January 20, 2026, unanimous Supreme Court decision clarifying that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(c)(1)'s requirement to file Rule 60(b) motions within a "reasonable time" applies to motions seeking relief from allegedly void judgments under Rule 60(b)(4). This ruling resolves a longstanding circuit split where most Circuit Courts had held that no time limit applied to such motions because a void judgment is considered a legal nullity. The Supreme Court rejected this majority view, emphasizing that while voidness cannot be cured by delay, procedural rules still impose reasonable time limits to seek relief, allowing courts to consider case-specific circumstances. The decision highlights the balance between finality in judgments and due process without establishing a fixed deadline for challenging void judgments. [Extracted from the article]