Of the Time of Commencing Civil ActionsThe Time of Commencing Actions Other Than for the Recovery of Real Property
Section § 335
This section explains the time limits for starting different types of lawsuits, except those involving ownership or recovery of land.
Section § 335.1
Section § 336
In California, you have five years to file two specific types of legal actions. First, you can take action within five years if you want to claim profits someone unfairly made from your property. Second, you have five years to sue if someone violates a property restriction you were supposed to benefit from, starting from when you knew or should have known about it. Not taking action within those five years doesn't mean you lose your rights for any future violations, and it doesn't imply those restrictions can't be enforced anymore. Before 2001, other legal time limits could still apply for taking action on restriction violations.
Section § 336
You have six years to take legal action on bonds, notes, or debentures issued by a corporation or with a permit if they're held by the public. This time limit also applies to actions related to mortgages or trust deeds tied to these financial instruments. However, it doesn't apply to bonds from public districts or corporations.
Section § 337
This law outlines the time limits for starting a lawsuit related to certain written contracts and accounts in California. You generally have four years to sue over written contracts, except in some cases related to deeds of trust or mortgages, where you only have three months after a sale. If you're trying to recover money from written accounts, you also have four years, starting from the last transaction listed. If you want to cancel a contract because of fraud or mistakes, the clock starts when you learn of the issue. Once these time limits expire, you can't sue for the debt unless there's an extension under specific circumstances.
Section § 337
This section explains what a "book account" is, defining it as a detailed record of financial transactions between a debtor and a creditor, usually arising from a contract or trust relationship. It excludes consumer debt, which is defined as obligations for personal, family, or household purposes incurred after July 1, 2024, and documented in written agreements. A book account can be kept in various durable formats but must be part of regular business conduct.
Section § 337.1
This California law sets a time limit on when you can sue for damages related to construction defects that are obvious (known as 'patent deficiencies'). You typically have four years after a construction project is mostly done to take legal action for problems in design or construction. If an injury happens in the fourth year because of such a defect, you get an extra year to sue, but no later than five years after the project is finished. However, if you're the owner or tenant living in or using the property, the time limit doesn't apply to you. This rule doesn't extend any deadline given by other state laws and doesn't apply to single-family homes owned and occupied by the owner.
Section § 337.2
This law states that if you have a written lease for real estate and someone breaks that lease or moves out, you have four years to take legal action. This time limit starts either when they first broke the lease and abandoned the property, or when you ended their right to live there—whichever happened first.
Section § 337.5
You have up to 10 years to take legal action on two types of cases: First, for claims related to specific government bonds that are not backed by property; second, for enforcing judgments or decisions made by courts across the United States.
Section § 337.6
This law says that you can file lawsuits on bonds or coupons where the deadline to sue expired on or after August 27, 1937. However, you must do this before June 30, 1959. When you present these bonds or coupons for payment, they will be registered, but they won't be paid until the next fiscal year unless there is enough money available. Interest won't be paid on these registered bonds or coupons.
Section § 337.15
This law states that you can't sue builders, designers, or others involved in real estate development for defects or property damage more than 10 years after the project is significantly completed. It covers hidden problems that aren't obvious with a regular inspection. The 10-year countdown starts once the project is substantially finished, marked by one of several possible dates like final inspection or when the property is first used. This rule doesn’t protect people who own or control the property if a defect they knew about causes damage, and it doesn't apply to cases of intentional misconduct or hidden fraud.
Section § 338
This section outlines different types of legal actions that must be started within three years, like claims related to property damage or fraud. For some cases involving stolen goods with special value, like historic or artistic items, the time to start the action begins when you actually discover where the item is. If art is stolen, you have six years from discovering its location and that you have a claim, but only if you found out this after 100 years from when the art was taken. Other actions, like those on public official bonds, have varying times but usually allow for delays if you discover relevant facts later. Special rules apply to notaries, and specific exceptions are made for actions under various environmental and business codes, where you start counting once issues are discovered by authorities.
Section § 338.1
This law states that if a government agency wants to sue for civil penalties or punitive damages related to certain environmental or safety violations, they must start the lawsuit within five years from when they discover the facts that justify the lawsuit.
Section § 338.2
This law allows California residents, or their heirs and representatives, to file claims for artwork or personal property that was lost or taken due to political persecution. They have six years to file from the time they discover the identity and location of the property and can show they have a legitimate claim to it. The law also states that prior knowledge of these facts doesn't shorten the time to file to less than two years from when the law was enacted. 'Personal property' covers a range of items including art, books, and cultural objects. Political persecution refers to discrimination based on group membership under certain California civil rights laws. Subsequent owners of such items cannot claim good faith ownership, and previous court cases dismissed on technicalities can be refiled under this law within specific time limits. The claimant can also recover attorney’s fees if they win.
Section § 339
Section § 339.5
Section § 340
This law outlines various types of legal actions that must be filed within one year. These include claims for penalties or forfeitures under certain statutes, lawsuits for personal injuries like libel and slander, and actions against banks for processing forged checks. It also covers cases involving veterinary negligence and property seizure by state officers. Lastly, it includes claims by individuals who mistakenly improved land they didn't own, with the time limit starting when the person realizes their mistake.
Section § 340.1
If someone suffered an injury due to childhood sexual assault, there is no deadline to file a lawsuit for compensation. This applies whether the lawsuit is against the person who committed the assault or an entity that had a duty to protect the victim but failed to do so. If the assault was covered up, the victim could recover extra damages, up to three times as much. For claims related to events before January 1, 2024, older laws apply. For sexual assaults from 2024 onward, no government claim is needed before suing. Plaintiffs 40 or older need special certificates from a lawyer and mental health professional to proceed. Violating these procedures can lead to penalties for attorneys, including being seen as unprofessional conduct.
Section § 340.2
This law outlines the time limits for starting a lawsuit related to asbestos exposure. If someone is injured and believes it was due to asbestos, they have to file a lawsuit either within one year of becoming disabled or within one year from when they discovered, or should have discovered, that the disability was because of asbestos. 'Disability' here means missing work because of the asbestos exposure. For wrongful death cases due to asbestos, the lawsuit must be filed within one year of death or within one year from when the connection to asbestos was known or should have been known.
Section § 340.3
This law explains the timeframe for filing a civil lawsuit for damages against someone who has been convicted of a felony. You typically have one year from when their sentence is pronounced to start your lawsuit, but there is an exception if the crime is serious—then you get 10 years from when they're off parole. However, you can’t sue if the defendant has been pardoned, if they were a victim of intimate partner violence, or if they were wrongfully imprisoned and released. If their sentence is on hold, your timeframe to sue is also paused. This time limit rule applies to cases from before and after this law took effect, except for cases already closed or settled before 2003. Also, if the defendant paid restitution, that amount will reduce any damages you win.
Section § 340.4
If a child is injured before or during birth, a lawsuit for those injuries must be filed by the time the child turns six years old. This deadline won't extend if the child has any disabilities that might normally give more time to start a lawsuit.
Section § 340.5
If someone wants to sue a healthcare provider for injury or death due to professional negligence, they must generally do it within three years of the injury or one year after discovering the injury, whichever is sooner. There are exceptions where more time is allowed, like if there was fraud, intentional hiding of the issue, or when a foreign object was left in the body. For minors, the time limits are a bit different. Those under six have until their eighth birthday or three years, whichever is longer. The clock might pause if there was fraud or cooperation between the guardian and the healthcare provider that prevented the case from being filed. The law details who counts as a healthcare provider and explains that 'professional negligence' is a mistake or lack of action that causes harm while providing licensed services.
Section § 340.6
This law sets the time limits for filing lawsuits against attorneys for mistakes or wrongful actions, except actual fraud, that happen while providing professional services. You usually have one year after discovering the issue or four years from when it occurred, whichever comes first, to start a lawsuit. If proving your innocence in a criminal charge is part of your claim, you have two years after being cleared to file. There are exceptions where the timeline can be paused, like if you haven't been harmed yet, the attorney is still representing you in the matter, the attorney hides the mistake, you have a legal or physical disability, or there's an unresolved fee dispute. If the claim is based on a future event affecting a written agreement, the countdown starts when that event happens.
Section § 340.7
This law specifies that civil lawsuits by Dalkon Shield victims against the Dalkon Shield Claimants' Trust have a 15-year time limit to be filed from the date of the victim's injury. However, this countdown paused starting August 21, 1985, due to the A.H. Robins Company's bankruptcy proceedings. The law covers claims regardless of when they arose or were filed, even if they might otherwise have expired under California law. Importantly, the law only applies to victims who engaged in specific legal actions related to this issue before January 1, 1990, according to details in a specific bankruptcy case.
Section § 340.8
This law explains how long you have to file a lawsuit for injuries or illnesses caused by exposure to hazardous or toxic substances. Generally, you must file within two years of either the injury date or the date you realized the injury was due to someone else's actions. For wrongful death cases, the deadline is two years from the date of death or when you realized the cause. Importantly, media reports alone aren't enough to prove you should have known about the cause of the injury or death. This law doesn't change rules for other types of injury cases not involving toxic substances.
Section § 340.9
This law allows people to reopen insurance claims related to the Northridge earthquake of 1994 that were previously barred because the deadline to file them had passed. However, they only have one year from the effective date of this law to start these actions, and it applies only if they contacted their insurance company about the earthquake damage before 2000. The law does not apply to cases already completely settled or litigated, and it doesn't change the rules for claims that weren't barred by the deadline originally.
Section § 340.10
This section defines who is considered a 'terrorist victim' from the September 11, 2001 attacks. It includes anyone who died or was injured due to the airplane crashes or in the immediate aftermath, unless they were identified as a terrorist participant or conspirator. Additionally, it states that the usual deadline for filing a lawsuit for injury or death, known as the statute of limitations, still applies to these cases, even if the deadline had already passed under previous California law.
Section § 340.11
This law allows victims of childhood sexual assault, which happened before January 1, 2024, to file lawsuits within 22 years of turning 18 or five years after realizing the assault caused psychological harm, whichever is later. Special rules extend this period to 10 years post-discovery if the case involves certain illegal actions. Victims can seek extra damages if there was a cover-up, defined as efforts to hide evidence. If filing after age 40, plaintiffs need certificates from their attorney and a mental health professional affirming the case's validity. These certificates are required before serving the defendant with the lawsuit. The law also revives cases that were previously time-barred, allowing them to be filed within three years from January 1, 2020. Additionally, cases can proceed without first filing a claim with a government entity. The protective measures, like using "Doe" for unnamed defendants and in-camera reviews, maintain privacy for sensitive details.
Section § 340.15
This law sets the time limits for filing a civil lawsuit to recover damages from domestic violence incidents. You can start the lawsuit within three years after the last act of violence or within three years from when you realized an injury was caused by the violence, whichever is later. It also refers to another section for the definition of domestic violence.
Section § 340.16
This section of the law deals with the time limits for filing lawsuits to seek damages for sexual assault that happened after the victim turned 18. Victims have either 10 years from the last assault or three years from when they realize the harm was caused by the assault to file a lawsuit. It also revives certain old claims that were previously time-barred, allowing them to be filed within specific periods. The section specifically addresses cases involving institutions like UCLA's medical facilities and emphasizes situations where an organization may have tried to cover up the assault. Several exceptions exist, such as cases previously settled or fully litigated, and the revival does not change the usual proof requirements needed to win the case.
Section § 340.35
This law applies if a criminal case related to childhood sexual abuse was filed but dismissed due to a Supreme Court decision. It allows lawsuits for childhood sexual abuse to be filed until January 1, 2006, even if the time limit expired before. However, it doesn't apply to claims against entities other than the individual in the criminal case, claims already settled or litigated, or settled cases where the plaintiff had a lawyer. If the defendant paid restitution, it counts against any lawsuit judgment or settlement. Any financial outcomes from such a lawsuit must consider a specific government code section.
Section § 341
This law outlines that any legal actions must be taken within six months if you want to recover property seized by a tax collector, get compensation for damages from such a seizure, reclaim stock sold due to unpaid assessments, or challenge actions taken by the trustees of a dissolved corporation.
Section § 341
This law says that if you want to start a lawsuit to get back or claim something left behind or converted at places like hotels or hospitals, you must do it within 90 days of leaving that place. This applies to personal items like clothes, luggage, or any belongings left there.
Section § 341.5
If a county, city, school district, or similar local agency wants to sue the State of California because they believe a law about state funding is unconstitutional, they must start the lawsuit within 90 days after the law becomes effective. 'State of California' here includes its officials and various state entities like agencies and departments.
Section § 342
If you want to sue a public entity in California, you must first file a special claim within a certain time frame. Then, to actually start your lawsuit, you need to do so within the deadline specified in another law, Section 945.6 of the Government Code.
Section § 343
This law means that if you want to seek a legal remedy for an issue not specifically mentioned elsewhere, you must start your legal action within four years from when the problem occurred or was discovered.
Section § 344
This law sets the starting point for when you can sue someone over a mutual, ongoing account with give-and-take between both parties. It says the clock starts ticking from the date of the last transaction either side can prove happened.
Section § 345
This law says that when the government (like the state or a county) is involved in a legal action, the time limits to start the case are the same as they are for private people. Specifically, if the state or county is trying to collect money owed for supporting patients in their hospitals, they have four years to start a legal case after the last time they provided care or received payment.
Section § 346
This law says that if you have a mortgage on real estate, you can try to get it back by going to court. You can do this even if there's a question about who got money from the property. However, you can't do this if the person holding the mortgage has been openly possessing the property for five years after you broke the mortgage agreement.
Section § 347
This law says that if a mortgage involves multiple people who have an interest in the property, not all of them might be able to take legal action to reclaim (or redeem) the property. However, those who are allowed to can redeem their share of the property. They must pay a portion of the mortgage that matches the value of their share in the property, and they can also have an evaluation of the property's income, like rents and profits, based on their share.
Section § 348
This law explains that there's no time limit for you to bring a case to recover money or property deposited in banks, trusts, credit unions, or similar institutions. However, if one of these institutions is going broke and is being closed down, the clock for filing a lawsuit starts ticking then. Also, if you're a shareholder in a bank or trust, you're still responsible for any liability, even during liquidation, as the law might require.
Section § 348.5
This law says that there is no time limit for starting a lawsuit related to bonds or coupons issued by the State of California.
Section § 349.1
Section § 349.2
This law outlines time limits for challenging the validity of actions taken by public entities, like cities or counties, related to bond activities. If a public entity authorizes bonds, any legal challenge must happen within six months of either the election that approved the bonds or the resolution/ordinance if no election was needed. If contesting the sale, issuance, delivery, or payment for bonds, the challenge also must be made within six months of those actions. After six months without a challenge, these activities become legally unchallengeable. Note that this rule doesn't change other laws that may have shorter deadlines. "Bonds" here refer to various types of public debt instruments, excluding special assessment bonds related to property improvements.
Section § 349.4
This law addresses the process for officially confirming or validating actions taken to create, organize, or change the boundaries of cities, counties, and other public entities in California. It also covers the authorization and issuance of bonds for these entities. The legislative body of such entities can notify property owners about these actions, and property owners have 60 days from the mailing of the notice to challenge the validity of the formations, boundary changes, or bond authorizations. If no one files a legal challenge within the period, the actions become final and cannot be contested.
Section § 349.05
This law outlines the timeline and terms related to legal actions about underground trespassing, or taking oil or gas from land you don't own. You have 180 days to start a lawsuit if someone drilled a well on land not belonging to you. If the trespass was intentional and discovered later, you can sue once it's discovered. For wells that have already been drilled, the clock starts 10 days after the well starts producing. There's only one lawsuit allowed per incident, and damages are based on the extracted oil or gas's value minus costs. This rule does not affect actions brought by the state or local governments.