NOTE: This list is only a starting point in your research. If you are concerned about a statute of limitation, you should either contact a personal injury lawyer in your state or go to a law library and look up the statutory section cited in this list. Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
WyomingCode of Alabama §6-2-38
Alaska Statutes §09.10.070
Arizona Revised Statutes §12-542
Arkansas Stat. Annotated §16-56-115
Civil Civ. Procedure Code §340, §335.1
Colorado Revised Statutes §13-80-102
Connecticut General Statutes §52-584
Delaware Code Annotated §§8107, 8119
District of Columbia Code §12-301
Florida Statutes §95.11
Georgia Code Ann. §3-1004
Hawaii Revised Statutes §657-7
Idaho Code §5-219
Illinois Statutes Ann. §13-202
Indiana Code Ann. §34-11-2-4
Iowa Code Annotated §614.1
Kansas Statutes Annotated §60.513
Kentucky Revised Statutes Ann. §413.140
Louisiana Civil Code Ann. Art. 3492
Maine Revised Statutes Ann. §752
Maryland Ann. Code §5-101
Massachusetts General Laws Ann. Ch. 260, §2A4
Michigan Compiled Laws §600.5805S
Minnesota Statutes Annotated §541.07
Mississippi Code Annotated §15-1-49
Missouri Statute Annotated 35 §516.120
Montana Code Annotated §27-2-204, §27-2-207
Revised Statutes of Nebraska §25-20S
Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated §11.190
New Hampshire Revised Statutes Ann. §50S:4
New Jersey Statutes Annotated §2A:14-2
New Mexico Statutes Ann. §37-1-S
N.Y. CIV. PRAC. R. §214
General Statutes of North Carolina §1-52
North Dakota Century Code §2S-0l-16
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §2305.10
Oklahoma Statutes Annotated Title 12 §95
Oregon Revised Statutes §12.110
42 PA Con. Stat. Annotated §5524
General Laws of Rhode Island §9-1-14
South Carolina Code Ann. §15-3-530
South Dakota Compo Laws Ann. §15-2-14
Tennessee Code Annotated §2S-3-104
Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ann. 2 §16.003
Utah Code Annotated §7S-12-25
Vermont Statutes Ann. Title 12 §512
Virginia Code §S.Ol-243
Revised Code of Washington Ann. §4.16.020
West Virginia Code §55-2-12
Wisconsin Statutes Annotated §S93.54
Wyoming Statutes Annotated §1-3-1052 years
2 years
2 years
5 years
l or 2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
3 years
4 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
1 year
1 year
6 years
3 years
3 years
3 years
2 years
3 years
5 years
2 or 3 years
4 years
2 years
3 years
2 years
3 years
3 years
3 years
6 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
3 years
3 years
3 years
1 year
2 years
4 years
3 years
2 years
3 years
2 years
3 years
4 years
Consult an attorney in your state if you fear that the statute of limitations has passed in your case. There are some exceptions you may need to be aware of. For example, minors generally have two years from the date they reach their 18th birthday to file, although, again, this varies from state to state.
In cases involving repressed memory, the court may suspend the statute of limitations during the time that the memory was repressed. Similarly, many states suspend the statute of limitations during periods that the plaintiff suffered from insanity or mental incapacity. Thus, this period of time would not count toward the deadline.
Even if memory was not repressed, in cases involving victims of childhood sexual abuse, a civil lawsuit for damages might have a very long statute of limitations deadline. In Pennsylvania, the legislature passed a law in June 2002 changing the statute of limitations in these types of cases to twelve years after the plaintiff reaches age 18, the age of majority.
This forward-thinking legislation recognizes that even if the victim of childhood sexual abuse has not repressed any memories, he or she may not have the ability to act to protect his or her legal rights for a very long time after becoming an adult. It may take many years before this person has worked through the trauma enough to move forward with legal action. (See www.smith-lawfirm.com/remedies.html for an extended discussion of these issues.)
