{"id":368962,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/is-there-a-time-limit-to-file-a-lawsuit-what-are-statutes-of.html"},"modified":"2026-07-14T13:13:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T18:13:26","slug":"is-there-a-time-limit-to-file-a-lawsuit-what-are-statutes-of","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/is-there-a-time-limit-to-file-a-lawsuit-what-are-statutes-of.html","title":{"rendered":"Is There a Time Limit to File a Lawsuit? What Are Statutes of Limitations?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Is There a Time Limit to File a Lawsuit? What Are Statutes of Limitations?<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/samuel-strom-j-d\/\">Samuel Strom, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/melissa-bender-esq\/\">Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            July 14, 2026\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-key-takeaways fl-mb30\" data-testid=\"fl-key-takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"fl-card-content\">\n        <div class=\"fl-card-body fl-card-bg-teal fl-flex fl-flex-column\">\n                            <h2 class=\"fl-card-title fl-h2 fl-no-margin\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n                        <ul>\n<li>Whether there is a definite time limit to sue depends on the type of claim and the facts of case.<\/li>\n<li>A <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> is a law that determines how long you have to <span data-term-id=\"59343494\">file a lawsuit<\/span> after a triggering event.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div><p>The <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> determines how late you can\u00a0<span data-term-id=\"59343494\">file a lawsuit<\/span>\u00a0after an incident. Once you pass the <span data-term-id=\"59343506\">legal deadline<\/span> for filing a claim, you may lose the ability to sue.<\/p>\n<p>The time periods depend entirely on the nature of the case and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/accident-and-injury-laws\/civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html\">state laws where your case is heard<\/a>. The <span data-term-id=\"59343493\">limitations periods<\/span> in federal court may differ from state court.<\/p>\n<p>Some claims can expire as quickly as a year after the event. Other claims can be filed decades later. If you are considering <span data-term-id=\"59343494\">filing a lawsuit<\/span>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney<\/a>\u00a0to determine the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/time-limits-to-bring-a-case-the-statute-of-limitations.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in your case.<\/p>\n<h2>When Do <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">Statutes of Limitation<\/span> Start?<\/h2>\n<p>There are several different ways that the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> clock may start, but here are three of\u00a0the most common:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The\u00a0date of harm:<\/strong> The date of injury in a <span data-term-id=\"59343503\">car accident<\/span> is typically when the clock begins for the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-law-basics.html\">a <span data-term-id=\"59343490\">personal injury<\/span> lawsuit\u00a0<\/a>or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/injury-claims-and-insurance.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343498\">property damage<\/span> lawsuit<\/a>. It does not matter whether you are suing the other driver or the insurance company.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The <span data-term-id=\"59343510\">date of discovery<\/span>:<\/strong> Sometimes, the harm may lie dormant for a while, and only later do you discover that you suffered harm.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The date you should have discovered the harm:<\/strong> This is a less common standard, but in some cases, the clock starts on a <span data-term-id=\"59343518\">legal claim<\/span> when you should have discovered the harm, not when you actually did.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Why the <span data-term-id=\"59343507\">Discovery Rule<\/span> Exists<\/h3>\n<p>The \u201c<span data-term-id=\"59343507\">discovery rule<\/span>\u201d is a legal principle that creates exceptions to the regular <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span>. A good example is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/buying-a-home\/home-defects-discovered-after-the-sale.html\">hidden damage to personal property or real estate<\/a>\u00a0that you may not find until a property inspection at the end of a rental period. This\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/breach-of-contract-and-lawsuits.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343499\">breach of contract<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is the cause of action to begin a lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>It wouldn\u2019t be fair for a plaintiff to lose their opportunity to sue because they discovered the problem too late. Complex cases like <span data-term-id=\"59343492\">fraud<\/span> may take years to unravel. Yet, allowing a plaintiff to sue too late would be unfair to the defendant. That\u2019s why courts consider when it would have been reasonable to discover the harm.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I Still Sue After 10 Years?<\/h3>\n<p>In some cases, ten years would be too long to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit.html\">bring a lawsuit<\/a>. In others, such as medical issues that don\u2019t appear immediately, you might still be able to sue. An attorney is the best person to help you understand your case and the time limits.<\/p>\n<h2>How Long Are <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">Statutes of Limitations<\/span>?<\/h2>\n<p>There are no general rules related to the time period to file a case. However, you almost always have at least a year to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit.html\">file a civil lawsuit<\/a>. Depending on the type of case or <span data-term-id=\"59343512\">civil action<\/span>, it could be much longer. Different <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statutes of limitations<\/span> apply to different types of cases and causes of action.<\/p>\n<p>You have plenty of time to research the relevant laws and find a lawyer, but it\u2019s wise not to\u00a0procrastinate. It takes time for a trial attorney to review the facts of a case, provide legal advice, and prepare a court case. You want to make sure to meet all deadlines.<\/p>\n<h2>Criminal vs. <span data-term-id=\"59343513\">Civil <\/span><span data-term-id=\"59343489\">Statutes of Limitations<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One incident may lead to both a criminal prosecution and a <span data-term-id=\"59343508\">civil claim<\/span>. For example, sexual abuse may lead to <span data-term-id=\"59343504\">felony<\/span> criminal charges, and the survivor of abuse may sue with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/civil-sexual-assault-lawsuits.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343490\">personal injury<\/span> tort<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/civil-cases-vs-criminal-cases-key-differences.html\">criminal and civil cases<\/a> would be distinct, and the deadlines may differ. In <span data-term-id=\"59343511\">criminal law<\/span>, the prosecutor would press charges of the <span data-term-id=\"59343522\">sex offense<\/span> before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/criminal-laws\/criminal-statute-of-limitations.html\">limit under criminal statutes<\/a>. But the civil <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/sexual-assault-civil-statutes-of-limitations-by-state.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> for sexual assault<\/a> is a separate matter. A plaintiff would not need to wait for the criminal prosecution to reach a verdict before they file their civil lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>In general, <span data-term-id=\"59343513\">civil <\/span><span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statutes of limitations<\/span> tend to offer more time to plaintiffs than the corresponding <span data-term-id=\"59343511\">criminal laws<\/span> provide to prosecutors. But if you\u2019ve suffered personal losses related to a crime, it\u2019s wise to verify how long you have to file a <span data-term-id=\"59343508\">civil claim<\/span> under the specific laws that apply to your case.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I Sue After the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">Statute of Limitations<\/span>?<\/h2>\n<p>You can\u2019t sue after the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> runs out, but there are situations where the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> begins late.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in a case of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/medical-malpractice.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343491\">medical malpractice<\/span><\/a>, the injury may have occurred weeks, months, or possibly years before the harm and cause of harm are discovered. The clock starts when the harm is detected.<\/p>\n<p>If a <span data-term-id=\"59343490\">personal injury<\/span> claim involves a minor, the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> generally begins when the young person turns 18.<\/p>\n<p>There are also situations in which the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> pauses for a period of time. The clock on the case could temporarily <span data-term-id=\"59343495\">toll<\/span> if the person bringing the case became mentally impaired or if the person against whom the claim is filed left the state.<\/p>\n<h2>How Long Do I Have To Sue a Government Agency?<\/h2>\n<p><span data-term-id=\"59343509\">Government entities<\/span> are the exception to the general rule. Because the government writes the rules, they have made it particularly difficult to sue them.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, you have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/personal-injury\/when-is-it-too-late-to-sue-a-government-agency\/\">as little as 60 days to file a federal lawsuit<\/a>. In other cases, you must\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/enforcing-your-civil-rights\/filing-a-government-agency-claim-before-a-lawsuit.html\">file an administrative complaint<\/a>\u00a0before <span data-term-id=\"59343494\">filing a lawsuit<\/span>. So if you suffered an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/premises-liability-claims-against-the-government.html\">injury on government property<\/a>, for example, it\u2019s a good idea to get <span data-term-id=\"59343517\">legal counsel<\/span> promptly.<\/p>\n<h2>How Long Is the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">Statute of Limitations<\/span> for a Lawsuit in California?<\/h2>\n<p>There is a lot of variation in <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statutes of limitations<\/span>. It typically depends on the types of claims.<\/p>\n<p>To give you an example, here are the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/california-law\/california-civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> for some civil cases in California<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-term-id=\"59343490\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law.html\">Personal injury<\/a><\/span><\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> Two years<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/wrongful-death.html\"><strong><span data-term-id=\"59343497\">Wrongful death<\/span><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Two years<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/defamation-libel-and-slander-background.html\"><strong>Libel or slander<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> One year<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/domestic-violence.html\"><strong>Domestic violence<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Five years<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/medical-malpractice.html\"><strong><span data-term-id=\"59343491\">Medical malpractice<\/span><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Three years<\/li>\n<li><strong>Breach of\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/contract.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><span data-term-id=\"59343496\">written contract<\/span><\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong> Four years<\/li>\n<li><strong>Breach of <span data-term-id=\"59343502\">oral contract<\/span>:<\/strong> Two years<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As another example, see the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statutes of limitations<\/span> for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/accident-injury-law\/time-limits-to-bring-a-case-the-statute-of-limitations.html\"><span data-term-id=\"59343490\">personal injury<\/span> cases<\/a>\u00a0in all 50 states. The amount of time ranges from one year in Kentucky to six years in Maine.<\/p>\n<h2>Can I Be Sued for Something That Happened Years Ago?<\/h2>\n<p>It depends on whether the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> has run for the type of case filed against you. Judges will not automatically throw out a case because the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> has run out.<\/p>\n<p>You must expressly bring the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> to the judge\u2019s attention. Your trial lawyer can use this as an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/criminal-defense\/what-is-an-affirmative-defense\/\"><span data-term-id=\"59343520\">affirmative defense<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to the claims against you.<\/p>\n<h2>How Long Can a Lawsuit Last?<\/h2>\n<p>A lawsuit can take days or years to wind its way through the courts, but there\u2019s no risk of running out of time during the <span data-term-id=\"59343501\">legal proceedings<\/span>. The <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> only determines when a case must be filed. Once a claim is filed with the appropriate court, the deadline does not apply to the actual court case.<\/p>\n<h2>Ask an Attorney if You Can Bring a Case to Court<\/h2>\n<p>If you have suffered physical or financial harm and believe you are due compensation, talk with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">local trial attorney<\/a>\u00a0or a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-term-id=\"59343490\">personal injury<\/span> attorney<\/a>\u00a0about whether you can take legal action to bring your case to court. Your attorney can advise you on the <span data-term-id=\"59343489\">statute of limitations<\/span> and applicable rules of civil procedure for your claim in your state.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                  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An attorney can offer tailored advice and help prevent common mistakes during litigation.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL34\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n               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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Yes, there are definite time limits to filing a lawsuit. Learn about statutes of limitations, affirmative defense, and much more concerning time limits for filing lawsuits at FindLaw.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":368853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":["External Links","Alt Text for All Images","Category Assigned"]},"categories":[2803],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-368962","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-litigation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368962"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":401770,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368962\/revisions\/401770"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368962"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=368962"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=368962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}