Limitation

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Limitation Act 1980

When seeking to bring a claim, it is important to ensure that it is brought within the time frames provided for under the Limitation Act 1980 (LA 1980). A failure to do so could enable a defendant to have a complete defence against the claim.

It is likewise important to know when the limitation period starts, the impact of its expiry and which party bears the burden of proof of showing whether the limitation period has expired.

For guidance, see Practice Note: Limitation Act 1980—general application.

For illustrative decisions relevant to limitation periods pursuant to LA 1980, see Practice Notes:

  1. •

    Limitation—illustrative decisions

  2. •

    Limitation and amendments—illustrative decisions (pre-May 2025) [Archived]

  3. •

    Limitation and extensions of time—key and illustrative decisions [Archived]

Amendments to statements of case

For specific guidance on the courts’ discretion to permit amendments to statements of case after the expiry of a limitation period pursuant to LA 1980, s 35, CPR 17.4 and CPR

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