stuiting

Stuiting is a Dutch noun that denotes interruption, obstruction, or a temporary halt in a process or event. The term is used in a range of contexts, from law to administration and business, to indicate that a normal progression is paused. A stuiting is typically not permanent; the process may resume after the cause of the pause is resolved or a legal or procedural step is taken.

Etymology: The word stems from the verb stuiten, meaning to hinder or stop. It belongs to a family of Dutch terms related to interruption and obstruction, and is often contrasted with onderbreking, which also means interruption but in slightly different legal or formal nuances.

In Dutch civil law, stuiting often refers to the interruption of prescription (stuiting van verjaring). Acts such as a debtor’s written acknowledgment or the initiation of a formal claim can interrupt the running of the limitation period, causing the period to start anew. The exact legal effect depends on the applicable statute and case law.

In administrative and commercial contexts, stuiting denotes pauses in procedures, such as delays in processing applications, or temporary halts in deliveries, production, or payments. It signals a break in the normal sequence, typically with rules or timelines governing when and how the process can resume.

See also: onderbreking (interruption) and verjaring (prescription). The precise meaning and consequences of stuiting can vary by jurisdiction and field, so it is often defined explicitly within statutory or contractual texts.