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

In Comey's case, his attorney said that his reading of the ruling suggests the case can’t be refiled because the five-year statute of limitations has expired since the indictment was brought. —Christian Orozco, NBC news, 25 Nov. 2025

That announcement came five days before the statute of limitations would have expired in Comey's case — and on Halligan's fourth day on the job. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 25 Nov. 2025

Currie’s ruling suggested that Comey’s statute of limitations remained in effect. —Kevin Breuninger,dan Mangan, CNBC, 24 Nov. 2025

Comey's attorney, Michael Dreeben, argued this admission meant that there was no indictment against his client and that the statute of limitations meant the chance of securing a new one had collapsed. —Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for statute of limitations

• abbreviations
• abominations
• accelerations
• accommodations
• accumulations
• adjudications
• administrations
• adulterations
• affiliations
• agglomerations
• alienations
• amalgamations

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