Statute of Limitations

Statute of Limitations refers to a law that sets the maximum time period within which legal proceedings must be initiated. Once this period expires, a claim can no longer be filed or enforced in court, effectively barring any legal action for that claim. The time limits can vary based on the type of claim and jurisdiction.

For example, in many jurisdictions, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is typically two to three years from the date of the injury. If a person is injured in a car accident on January 1, 2020, they may have until January 1, 2023, to file a lawsuit. If they fail to do so, they may lose the right to seek compensation.

Another example is in contract law, where the statute of limitations for written contracts may be four to six years, depending on the jurisdiction. If a party fails to enforce a written contract within this time frame, they may be barred from taking legal action to enforce the contract.

Notable cases include Henderson v. United States, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a plaintiff’s claim was barred by the statute of limitations because it was filed after the applicable time period. Similarly, in Walters v. McMahon, the court held that the plaintiff could not pursue a negligence claim due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.