Statute of Limitations for Assault and Battery (intentional tort) in Utah

Overview

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Statute Of Limitations calculator.

Utah’s statute of limitations (SOL) for intentional tort claims like assault and battery generally runs 4 years under Utah Code § 76-1-302. Because this time limit is set by statute, your “clock” typically starts at the date the claim accrues (often the date of the alleged assault or battery), and it can limit your ability to file if you wait too long.

This page focuses on the general/default limitation period. Based on the provided jurisdiction data, no claim-type-specific sub-rule for assault and battery was found, so the 4-year general period is treated as the baseline.

Limitation period

The provided data identifies a 4-year general SOL period for Utah. The governing rule for the baseline timeframe is Utah Code § 76-1-302, which sets a general limitations period for certain actions.

A practical way to think about the timeline

• Start date (accrual): The limitations period generally begins when the claim accrues. For assault and battery allegations, this often corresponds to the date of the wrongful act or injury—commonly the date of the alleged assault or battery.
• End date (filing deadline): If you file after the applicable SOL window closes, the defendant may be able to raise the SOL as a defense, which can lead to dismissal or other adverse outcomes.

Use DocketMath to calculate the “file-by” date

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator converts the legal period into a concrete deadline. You supply inputs, and the tool computes the “file-by” date using the 4-year general period from Utah Code § 76-1-302.

Common inputs to use in the calculator:

• Jurisdiction: Utah (US-UT)
• Claim type/category: Intentional tort (assault & battery)
• Date of incident: The date of the alleged assault or battery (the accrual/incident date you are using for your claim theory)
• Optional/accrual-related fields (if offered by the calculator): If your situation requires an accrual concept other than the incident date, use those fields so the computed deadline matches your theory

Example timeline (illustrative)

If an alleged incident occurred on March 1, 2024, then a 4-year general period would commonly point to a deadline around March 1, 2028. The exact “file-by” date can vary based on how accrual is defined and how the calculator applies calendar rules, so you should rely on the calculator output—not rough rounding.

Key exceptions

Because this is a default-period article, treat the 4-year rule as a baseline—then adjust if your facts trigger a known timing change.

Even where a general SOL exists, deadlines can change due to issues like:

• Accrual rules: Some claims use a specific accrual event (not merely the incident date).
• Tolling events: Certain legal circumstances can pause or extend the limitations period.
• Different legal theories/causes of action: If the claim is reframed under a different statute or theory, the controlling SOL may differ.
• Multiple alleged incidents: Repeated acts can create more than one potential accrual date, affecting what portions may be timely.

Important: The provided jurisdiction data states no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for assault and battery. That means Utah Code § 76-1-302’s 4-year general period is the starting point, and you only depart from it if a specific exception applies to your fact pattern.

Practical checklist to identify timing changes

Before relying on the general 4-year window, gather:

• Exact incident date(s) (and how certain you are about the date)
• Any reporting/record dates (e.g., police report date, hospital intake date)
• The date you first knew key facts relevant to your claim theory (if your theory uses a different accrual concept)
• Any events that might toll the period (documentation helps)

Statute citation

• General SOL period: 4 years
• Statute: Utah Code § 76-1-302
• Reference/source (Utah Courts): https://www.utcourts.gov/en/legal-help/legal-help/procedures/statute-limitation.html

The Utah Courts’ legal-help materials referenced in the supplied data identify a 4-year general period for limitations matters, which is the baseline used here.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath to translate Utah’s 4-year general SOL into a precise “file-by” date.

1. Go to /tools/statute-of-limitations
2. Set:

   • Jurisdiction: Utah (US-UT)
   • Default limitations period: 4 years (from Utah Code § 76-1-302)
3. Enter the date of the alleged assault or battery (the incident/accrual date you are using for your claim theory).
4. Check the output:

   • The computed “file-by” date
   • Any intermediate fields shown by the calculator, so you can verify your selected date(s) are correct

How the output changes when inputs change

• Later incident date → later deadline: moving the incident date forward generally pushes the file-by date forward.
• Different accrual date → different deadline: if the calculator provides a separate accrual input, changing it can change the deadline even if the incident date stays the same.
• Multiple incidents: using a later date may extend the window for that particular act, but earlier acts could still be outside the SOL.

Primary CTA: /tools/statute-of-limitations

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator