Legal Definitions - limitation period

A limitation period is a specific time period set by law after which a lawsuit or prosecution cannot be brought in court. This is also known as a statute of limitations.

For example, in some states, the limitation period for personal injury lawsuits is two years. This means that if someone is injured in an accident, they have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If they wait longer than two years, they will not be able to bring a lawsuit.

Another example is in property law, where a special limitation is a restriction that causes an estate to end automatically and revert to the grantor upon the happening of a specified event. For instance, if a deed or will uses words like "for so long as," "while," "during," or "until" to introduce the circumstances under which an estate may end prior to its running its maximum course, it is generally assumed that a special limitation was intended.

Overall, a limitation period is a legal time limit that restricts the amount of time a person has to bring a lawsuit or prosecution. It is important to be aware of these time limits to ensure that legal rights are protected.