Editing Statute of limitations (section)

====Civil statutes====
A civil statute of limitations applies to a non-criminal legal action, including a [[tort]] or [[contract]] case. If the statute of limitations expires before a lawsuit is filed, the defendant may raise the statute of limitations as an [[affirmative defense]] to seek dismissal of the claim. The exact time period depends on both the state and the type of claim (contract claim, personal injury, fraud etc.). Most fall in the range of one to ten years, with two to three years being most common.