As a refresher, the statute of limitations, or SOL, is “a statute prescribing a period of limitation for the bringing of certain kinds of legal action.” In layman’s terms, the SOL is the maximum amount of time between when a crime occurred and when someone can formally come forward to file charges against another person. Some crimes, like murder, have no SOL and can be pursued decades later.
The statute of limitations varies depending on the crime. These are not the same time limits as in civil cases, and even if the SOL for the crime has passed the victim may still have time to sue the perpetrator for damages. The following list includes statutes of limitations in Florida for sex crimes, as of March 2020:
- Statutory Rape: 3 years
- Serious felony sex offense: 10 years or less (depending on the crime)
- Sexual assault: 4 years (on average)
It’s important to note that if the sexual abuse resulted in the someone’s death, or if it occurred in such a circumstance that the abuser could face life imprisonment, the statute of limitation does not apply.