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statute of limitations
noun phrase
: a statute assigning a certain time after which rights cannot be enforced by legal action or offenses cannot be punished
Examples of statute of limitations in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement Schuman, a former member of the 2000s girl group Dream, accused Carter of rape in 2017, though prosecutors declined to file charges because the statute of limitations had expired.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
The statute of limitations on hail damage in Texas has leeway, but its better to file sooner rather than later.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2024
Though the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to pursue criminal charges against Nick in response to Schuman's 2018 lawsuit because the statute of limitations had expired, Schuman did file a civil lawsuit in April 2023.
—Rachel Brodsky, TIME, 27 May 2024
The statute of limitations had expired for three of those cases and there was insufficient evidence for one of them, per Variety.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, Peoplemag, 23 May 2024
Olmedo dismissed four other counts on Tuesday, finding that three of them fell outside the statute of limitations, and that there was not enough evidence to take the other one to trial.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 May 2024
According to the McCready Law Group, the statute of limitations in California is one year for simple assault.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024
If so, the court may find that he’s barred from suing under the statute of limitations.
—Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2024
The case involved another victim close to Martin’s age and was then, and still is, within the statute of limitations.
—Joe Rubin, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'statute of limitations.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1641, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of statute of limitations was
in 1641
Dictionary Entries Near statute of limitations
Cite this Entry
“Statute of limitations.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statute%20of%20limitations. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Legal Definition
statute of limitations
1
a
: a statute establishing a period of time from the accrual of a cause of action (as upon the occurrence or discovery of an injury) within which a right of action must be exercised compare laches, statute of repose
b
: a criminal statute establishing the period of time within which an offense can be punished after its commission
2
: a period of time established by a statute of limitations for commencing an action or prosecution
3
: an affirmative defense that the statute of limitations has expired
More from Merriam-Webster on statute of limitations
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about statute of limitations
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