statute of limitations

American  

noun

Law.

1. a statute defining the period within which legal action may be taken.

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statute of limitations British  

noun

1. a legislative enactment prescribing the period of time within which proceedings must be instituted to enforce a right or bring an action at law See also laches

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statute of limitations Cultural  

1. Any law that places a time restriction during which a lawsuit must be brought to court or a crime must be prosecuted.

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Etymology

Origin of statute of limitations

First recorded in 1760–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

statute of limitations

Find out about the statute of limitations for contesting a will and whether this one had a no-contest clause.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

The spokesman said that as the statute of limitations for a harassment case had expired, a malicious communications case was considered in 2025 "when the victim made contact".

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Conveniently, the decision came when it was too late to retry Mr. da Silva before the statute of limitations ran out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

In Texas, legal malpractice claims are generally subject to a two-year statute of limitations, although certain exceptions may extend the filing deadline.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

The statute of limitations ticks itself out, day by day, all memory of the crime being washed away.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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