Justice Atlas

Civil statutes of limitations

How long do you have to sue?

Every civil claim has a statute of limitations — a hard deadline to file in court. Miss it and the case is almost always dismissed permanently, however strong it is. Pick your state for the deadlines on the most common claims, with the statute citation for each.

If you think you might have a claim, act now. These are the statutes as written — your real deadline can be shorter, and only an attorney can tell you. Can't afford one? Every state below links to free civil legal aid.
Note: these pages cover nine common civil claims. They do not cover employment, discrimination, or claims against a government agency — those often have much shorter deadlines (sometimes only a few months). If that's your situation, contact an attorney or legal aid today.

Start with what happened to you

Pick your type of claim to see the deadline in every state, shortest first — and how short it can be.

Defamation (libel / slander) as short as 1y

A false statement (written = libel, spoken = slander) harmed your reputation.
Fraud as short as 1y

Someone deceived you for gain and you lost money or property.
Medical malpractice as short as 1y

A doctor, hospital, or other provider injured you through substandard care.
Personal injury as short as 1y

You were physically hurt by someone's negligence — a crash, a fall, an assault.
Product liability as short as 1y

A defective or dangerous product injured you.
Property damage as short as 1y

Someone damaged or destroyed your property.
Wrongful death as short as 1y

A family member died because of someone's negligence or wrongful act.
Breach of oral contract as short as 2y

Someone broke a spoken/handshake agreement with you.
Breach of written contract as short as 3y

Someone broke a written agreement with you.

Or choose your state

The shortest common deadline in each state is shown as a hint — shorter means less time to act.

Alabama 9 claims · as short as 2y Alaska 9 claims · as short as 2y Arizona 9 claims · as short as 1y Arkansas 9 claims · as short as 1y California 9 claims · as short as 1y Colorado 9 claims · as short as 1y Connecticut 9 claims · as short as 2y Delaware 9 claims · as short as 2y District of Columbia 9 claims · as short as 1y Florida 9 claims · as short as 2y Georgia 9 claims · as short as 1y Hawaii 9 claims · as short as 2y Idaho 9 claims · as short as 2y Illinois 9 claims · as short as 1y Indiana 9 claims · as short as 2y Iowa 9 claims · as short as 2y Kansas 9 claims · as short as 1y Kentucky 9 claims · as short as 1y Louisiana 9 claims · as short as 1y Maine 9 claims · as short as 2y Maryland 9 claims · as short as 1y Massachusetts 9 claims · as short as 3y Michigan 9 claims · as short as 1y Minnesota 9 claims · as short as 2y Mississippi 9 claims · as short as 1y Missouri 9 claims · as short as 2y Montana 9 claims · as short as 2y Nebraska 9 claims · as short as 1y Nevada 9 claims · as short as 2y New Hampshire 9 claims · as short as 3y New Jersey 9 claims · as short as 1y New Mexico 9 claims · as short as 3y New York 9 claims · as short as 1y North Carolina 9 claims · as short as 1y North Dakota 9 claims · as short as 2y Ohio 9 claims · as short as 1y Oklahoma 9 claims · as short as 1y Oregon 9 claims · as short as 1y Pennsylvania 9 claims · as short as 1y Rhode Island 9 claims · as short as 1y South Carolina 9 claims · as short as 2y South Dakota 9 claims · as short as 2y Tennessee 9 claims · as short as 1y Texas 9 claims · as short as 1y Utah 9 claims · as short as 1y Vermont 9 claims · as short as 2y Virginia 9 claims · as short as 1y Washington 9 claims · as short as 2y West Virginia 9 claims · as short as 1y Wisconsin 9 claims · as short as 3y Wyoming 9 claims · as short as 1y

What this is — and is not

Published statutory filing deadlines for common civil claims, with citations — an informational reference, not legal advice and not a calculation of your deadline. Accrual, tolling, and the discovery rule are fact-specific; consult a licensed attorney. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026).