How late is too late to show up to plans with friends?
Guilty
The short answer
Fifteen minutes is the courtesy window. Past that you text, and past thirty you owe an apology, text or not.
The ruling
From the public record. Names are replaced with roles.
Small claims division
Case no.PC-2026-00276
The friend who waited v. The friend who arrived at 7:50
Filed 10/05/2026
- Plaintiff
- The friend who waited
- Defendant
- The friend who arrived at 7:50
Statement of claim
We met at 7 at the bar. He walked in at 7:50. No text. When I asked, he said he lost track of time.
Charge
Arriving 50 minutes late to agreed plans without sending a message
Judgment
Guilty
Friend found guilty of arriving at 7:50 for 7 with no text
Sentence
The defendant buys the first two rounds at the next meeting and texts the plaintiff if he is more than ten minutes late.
How the court usually rules on this
The court applies a fifteen-minute courtesy window to casual plans. A message before that point preserves goodwill. Arriving later than thirty minutes, especially with no message, is treated as an offense regardless of the reason, because the other person waited without knowing.
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