Okuzeka
Law vocabulary · Lawsuits & Procedure

Statute of limitations

Meaning in law, with examples

phraseCommon term

In law, statute of limitations means: A law that sets a time limit for starting legal action; after this period has passed, the claim usually can no longer be brought.

In Turkish: zamanaşımı, zamanaşımı süresi

How it is used

Mainly American. People say 'the statute of limitations has expired' or 'has run', or that a claim is 'time-barred'. British lawyers usually speak of the 'limitation period'; in England and Wales most periods are set by the Limitation Act 1980.

Example sentences

  1. Check the statute of limitations before you promise the client anything.

  2. The claim failed because the statute of limitations had already expired.

Common collocations

  • the statute of limitations has expired
  • statute of limitations period
  • toll the statute of limitations
  • time-barred claim
  • statuteA written law passed by a parliament or another law-making body, as opposed to rules that come from court decisions.
  • claimA formal demand for money, property or another remedy, especially one made in court; also a statement that something is true which has not yet been proved.
  • lawsuitA claim that one person or company brings against another in a civil court, usually asking for money or for an order to stop something.
  • proceedingsThe formal steps of a legal case, from the moment it is started until it is finished; the legal process as a whole.

More terms: Lawsuits & Procedure

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.