What Is a Statute of Limitations?

A statute of limitations is a law that sets the maximum amount of time that parties involved in a dispute have to initiate legal proceedings from the date of an alleged offense, whether civil or criminal. The length of time the statute allows for a victim to bring legal action against the suspected wrong-doer can vary based on the jurisdiction and the nature of the offense.

What Is the Purpose of a Statute of Limitations?

The purpose of statutes of limitations is to protect would-be defendants from unfair legal action, primarily arising from the fact that after a significant passage of time, relevant evidence may be lost, obscured, or not retrievable, and the memories of witnesses may not be as sharp.