A statute of limitations is a law that defines the maximum amount of time in which parties involved in a dispute must initiate legal proceedings following an alleged offense. The duration of a statute of limitations varies depending on the nature of the offense and the location of the jurisdiction.

The law applies to both civil and criminal cases. More serious offenses, such as murder or war crimes, often have no statute of limitations. It's also applied in civil law to matters like consumer debt, where the debt becomes time-barred debt after the statute of limitations has passed.