Louisiana Statutes of Limitations

For any legal case, criminal or civil, there is generally a time limit on when the case can be filed in court. Louisiana’s statute of limitations laws define the time period in which a lawsuit must be filed (in civil cases) and prohibit prosecutors from charging for the commission of a crime after the passage of a specified number of years (in criminal cases). These Bayou State statutes try to ensure timely and accurate trials and avoid having criminal charges or litigation hanging over a person’s head indefinitely. Click on the links below for Louisiana-specific statutes of limitations.