I’ve mentioned before that USPS collection times are critical for last-minute petitioners. My local post office has a battered sign next to the maildrop stating that mail deposited therein later 5 p.m. local time will bear the next day’s postmark. This notwithstanding that, by my arithmetic, there remain seven (count ’em, seven) hours to the day, and two (count ’em, two) more hours when the post office remains open and the maildrop available.

But, post-Antawn Jamal Sanders and Nutt, every second counts.

So, while Ch J Kathleen (“TBS = The Big Shillelagh”) Kerrigan doesn’t let Ken Tran & Stephanie Tran, Docket No. 7967-24, filed 8/15/24, tell about how they mailed their petition on Day 90, because their envelope bears a clear USPS postmark showing Day 91, and Section 7502 says that’s conclusive, one might speculate this is another case of the maildrop after the cutoff.

True, Section 7502 is clear enough: registered or certified mail, or one of the “blessed communion, fellowship divine” among the PDS, is best.

But ordinary people don’t know that.