--- title: Atlas Commons research objects — civil statute-of-limitations deadlines for Alabama license: CC0-1.0 source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) --- # Atlas Commons research objects — civil statute-of-limitations deadlines for Alabama Alabama's civil statute-of-limitations periods for 9 common causes of action, each as a recorded claim carrying the statute citation and URL so a consuming agent can verify it at the cited code — plus the single interpretive L5 boundary: these are the statutes as written, NOT any person's actual deadline (accrual, the discovery rule, tolling, and statutes of repose are fact-specific legal determinations). The atlas informs and routes to counsel; it never computes a deadline. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026). CC0. ## Claims ### Alabama sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for defamation (libel / slander) (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(k)) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(k), the civil statute of limitations for defamation (libel / slander) in Alabama is 2 years. Note: Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-38 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years from discovery civil statute of limitations for fraud (Ala. Code § 6-2-3) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-3, the civil statute of limitations for fraud in Alabama is 2 years from discovery. Note: a discovery rule may apply (the clock may start at discovery, not occurrence); Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-3 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years (6 mo. after discovery) civil statute of limitations for medical malpractice (Ala. Code § 6-5-482) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-5-482, the civil statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Alabama is 2 years (6 mo. after discovery). Note: an outer statute of repose of 4 year(s) may also bar the claim; Fraudulent concealment may toll under § 6-2-3.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-5-482 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for personal injury (Ala. Code § 6-2-38) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-38, the civil statute of limitations for personal injury in Alabama is 2 years. Note: Standard tolling for minors and incompetents under Ala. Code § 6-2-8.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-38 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for product liability (Ala. Code § 6-5-502) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-5-502, the civil statute of limitations for product liability in Alabama is 2 years. Note: a discovery rule may apply (the clock may start at discovery, not occurrence); Standard tolling for minors and incompetents.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-5-502 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years civil statute of limitations for property damage (Ala. Code § 6-2-38) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-38, the civil statute of limitations for property damage in Alabama is 2 years. Note: Real property trespass uses 6-year period under § 6-2-34(2).. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-38 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 2 years from death civil statute of limitations for wrongful death (Ala. Code § 6-5-410) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-5-410, the civil statute of limitations for wrongful death in Alabama is 2 years from death. Note: Only punitive damages recoverable; no minor tolling for wrongful death period.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-5-410 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 6 years civil statute of limitations for contract oral (Ala. Code § 6-2-34) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34, the civil statute of limitations for contract oral in Alabama is 6 years. Note: Stated/open accounts have 3-year period under § 6-2-37.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-34 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Alabama sets a 6 years civil statute of limitations for contract written (Ala. Code § 6-2-34) **RECORDED.** Under Ala. Code § 6-2-34, the civil statute of limitations for contract written in Alabama is 6 years. Note: UCC sales contracts governed by 4-year period under § 7-2-725.. This is the STATUTE as written (verify at the cited code), last verified 2026-04-29 — NOT a calculation of any person's actual deadline, which depends on accrual and tolling. Source: CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) — https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=6-2-34 Falsifier: A RECORD of measured/reported events (occurred=true) from CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026); superseded when CaseFleet Civil Statute-of-Limitations Reference (2026) publishes its next release. ### Why these statute-of-limitations periods are NOT your deadline (the L5 boundary) **INTERPRETATION.** The periods above are the statutes Alabama has on the books. They do NOT tell you YOUR deadline. When a claim "accrues" (starts the clock), whether the discovery rule, tolling, a minor/incapacity, or a statute of repose changes it, and which cause of action even applies, are fact-specific legal determinations. A missed deadline can permanently bar a claim. This atlas informs and routes — it is not legal advice and not a substitute for a licensed attorney. If you may have a claim, consult an attorney in Alabama immediately; for free civil legal aid see this state's legal-aid page. Source: Justice Atlas framing (over the statutes above) — https://justice-atlas.ryanjhunter.workers.dev/ Falsifier: occurred=FALSE (a framing/legal boundary, not an event) and adjudged=FALSE (the atlas's reading, not a court's ruling on any case) — the lowest-warrant claim. The period+citation claims above are recorded statutes (verifiable at the cited code); this boundary is the only interpretation. --- Every claim above carries a four-status warrant (RECORDED / MODELED / DERIVED / INTERPRETATION) and a named source you can re-fetch — this is a research object, not a flat fact. Structured: `https://justice-atlas.ryanjhunter.workers.dev/justice/sol/al.jsonld` ## Data ### Civil filing deadlines in Alabama — statutes as written RECORDED statutes (verify at each cited code). Not your actual deadline — accrual, tolling, and which claim applies are fact-specific. Consult a licensed attorney. | Claim | Deadline | Statute | Notes | Warrant | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Defamation (libel / slander) | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-38(k) | Standard tolling for minors and incompetents. | RECORDED | | Fraud | 2 years from discovery | Ala. Code § 6-2-3 | discovery rule; Standard tolling for minors and incompetents. | RECORDED | | Medical malpractice | 2 years (6 mo. after discovery) | Ala. Code § 6-5-482 | repose 4y; Fraudulent concealment may toll under § 6-2-3. | RECORDED | | Personal injury | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-38 | Standard tolling for minors and incompetents under Ala. Code § 6-2-8. | RECORDED | | Product liability | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-5-502 | discovery rule; Standard tolling for minors and incompetents. | RECORDED | | Property damage | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-38 | Real property trespass uses 6-year period under § 6-2-34(2). | RECORDED | | Wrongful death | 2 years from death | Ala. Code § 6-5-410 | Only punitive damages recoverable; no minor tolling for wrongful death period. | RECORDED | | Contract oral | 6 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-34 | Stated/open accounts have 3-year period under § 6-2-37. | RECORDED | | Contract written | 6 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-34 | UCC sales contracts governed by 4-year period under § 7-2-725. | RECORDED |