Statutes of limitations are laws passed by a legislative body in common law systems that set the maximum time after an event when a lawsuit may be filed. In civil law systems, similar provisions are typically part of their civil or criminal codes and known collectively as periods of prescription. When the period of time specified in a statute of limitations passes, the statute of limitations provides an absolute defense to the legal claim.
The intention of these laws is to make sure legal cases are brought to trial in a reasonable length of time.
A statute of limitations restricts when a case may be filed, but is not a deadline for the completion of a case. If a case is filed during the period specified in the statute of limitations, the case may be heard and decided by the court even after that period expires.