Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in California

Re: statute of limitations

If you are talking about filing a federal civil rights case, the statute is typically two years from the date the cause of action accrues. It's not always easy to figure out when that is.

If you are talking about filing a state civil rights case, you have to first comply with the requirement to serve a claim on the county before you can go to court. The county clerk has a form for claims that you can fill out or you can draft your own following the procedures set out by statute.

This separate claims requirement may shorten the two-year period that generally applies. Because of this, you have to do a different calculation to determine the last day to file. Other limitations or extensions to the time limits may apply.

This subject is not as straight forward as it seems. You should consult with an attorney right away to make sure you don't lose your right to bring a suit due to inaction.