Computation and extension of time

(2019) Rule 14(b) was revised by adding text to clarify that the single justice referred to is a single justice of the appellate court in which the appeal will be or is docketed. Rule 14(c) was revised to be consistent with the new definition in Rule 1(c) of “first class mail or its equivalent.” Further organizational and stylistic revisions were made to this rule in 2019 in accordance with a global review and revision of all of the Appellate Rules. These revisions are described in the 2019 Reporter’s Notes to Rule 1 . With regard to the preparation of the 2019 Reporter’s Notes to this Rule, see the first paragraph of the 2019 Reporter’s Notes to Rule 1 . For an overview of the 2019 amendments to the Rules and a summary of the global amendments to the Rules, see 2019 Reporter’s Notes to Rule 1, sections I. and II. (1979) The only change in Rule 14 is the addition to subdivision (b) of language restricting the appellate court’s power to enlarge the time within which a notice of appeal may be filed in a criminal case to no longer than one year after the date of the verdict or finding of guilt or the date of the imposition of sentence, whichever date is later. Compare Rule 4(c) , which limits any extension granted by the lower court to no more than sixty days after verdict or sentence. The failure of a party to notice his appeal prior to the expiration of the thirty-day limit of Rule 4(b) , or within sixty days if extended may be rectified by the appellate court, or a single justice as long as it does not extend beyond one year past verdict or sentence. (1973) Appellate Rule 14(a) , dealing with computation of time, follows Mass.R.Civ.P. 6 . By countenancing enlargement of appeal time up to one year after entry of the order or judgment appealed from, Appellate Rule 14(b) relaxes the cognate F.R.A.P. 26(b). Read together, Appellate Rules 4 and 14(b) mean that an “excusable neglect” extension may be granted only on such terms as to cause the extension to expire within the one-year period prescribed by Appellate Rule 14(b).