statute of limitations

noun

Law.

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

statute of limitations

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

statute of limitations

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of statute of limitations¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

One problem is the statute of limitations – the deadline that prosecutors had to charge Comey for these specific allegations – which ended at the end of September.

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Any attempt to do so in Comey’s case could face complications, former prosecutors and other legal experts said, because the five-year statute of limitations has now passed on the statement to Congress at issue.

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The statute of limitations for involuntary manslaughter, an easier case to prove than the voluntary manslaughter charges that Middleton brought, expired in late 2021.

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In New York, the statute of limitations for criminal fraud and embezzlement is generally five years for felonies and two years for misdemeanors.

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The accusations are outside the statute of limitations for criminal action in Spain.

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