Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse / Assault in Michigan

Overview

In Michigan, claims involving child sexual abuse or assault often raise the question: how long do you have to bring a case? That answer is driven largely by Michigan’s statute of limitations (SOL) rules, which set deadlines for filing a lawsuit or prosecuting certain crimes.

For Michigan, DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator can help you organize the timeline—especially the “starting point” questions that commonly affect the effective deadline. This page focuses on Michigan law and the default SOL applicable to these types of matters.

Limitation period

Default SOL: 6 years from the triggering event

Michigan’s general SOL period is 6 years, set by MCL § 767.24(1). The “clock” typically begins based on the SOL’s triggering event (commonly the time the relevant conduct occurred, or when a legally relevant condition occurs—depending on the statute’s structure and the claim type).

Because the law’s mechanics can vary by context (civil vs. criminal, and how courts interpret the trigger), the most practical approach is:

• Identify the relevant date(s) (for example, when the conduct occurred).
• Identify the SOL trigger the calculator uses for the Michigan default rule.
• Run the date range through DocketMath to see what deadlines would be under the statute’s general framework.

How DocketMath helps with timing

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool is designed to turn dates into actionable timeframes. Typically, you’ll provide:

• The date of the alleged act (or other “event date” the tool uses)
• (If applicable in the tool interface) the date of filing or target filing date you’re checking

Then DocketMath outputs:

• An estimated SOL expiration date under the Michigan default SOL
• A pass/fail style result (e.g., “within time” vs. “time-barred”), based on the dates you enter

If you change the event date by even a few months, your expiration date changes accordingly—so it’s worth double-checking the facts you use to drive the calculator.

Quick reference summary

Key exceptions

Michigan’s default SOL period is not the whole story. Exceptions—whether statutory, procedural, or doctrine-based—can alter either:

• When the SOL starts, or
• Whether the SOL can be tolled (paused or delayed), or
• Whether a particular claim must be handled under a different limitations framework

On this page, the clearest, most citation-backed rule provided is the general 6-year SOL from MCL § 767.24(1). Even so, here are the practical exception areas that frequently matter when you’re working backward from deadlines:

1. Timing trigger differences

   • Some limitation statutes begin counting from a particular event (e.g., completion of the act, discovery, or another statutory condition).
   • Because this page is anchored to the general rule rather than a specialized claim-type scheme, the safest workflow is to verify the tool’s trigger against your situation.

2. Tolling arguments

   • Many jurisdictions recognize tolling concepts (for example, delays based on legally relevant conditions).
   • Whether tolling applies depends on the specific statute and facts.

3. Procedural posture

   • Deadlines can differ between criminal prosecution and civil filing, and courts may apply different procedural rules.
   • DocketMath is most helpful when you know what legal track you’re measuring.

4. Multiple events and date selection

   • Child sexual abuse/assault cases can involve multiple acts over a period of time.
   • The date you enter into a limitations calculator (first act vs. last act vs. a specific act) can significantly change the computed deadline.

Statute citation

Michigan’s general SOL period referenced in this guide is:

• MCL § 767.24(1) — general rule with a 6-year limitations period.

This guide is anchored to the default/general limitation period and does not claim that Michigan has a separate, claim-type-specific SOL sub-rule identified here for child sexual abuse/assault.

Source for Michigan’s statute availability: Michigan.gov (as indicated by the provided jurisdiction data).

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool to translate Michigan’s 6-year default SOL into a concrete expiration date based on your dates.

Step-by-step workflow

• Step 1: Choose the event date to measure

  • Enter the date you believe the limitations “clock” should start from (per the tool’s Michigan default logic).
• Step 2: Enter the target date to check

  • If the tool asks for it, enter the planned filing date or the date you want to evaluate.
• Step 3: Review the computed deadline

  • DocketMath returns an SOL expiration date and an outcome relative to the date you provided.

How inputs change the outcome

Use these practical scenarios to understand the tool’s sensitivity:

• If your event date moves forward by 6 months, the computed expiration date moves forward by 6 months as well (under a straight 6-year measure).
• If your event date is uncertain across a range (for example, between 2010-04-01 and 2010-09-15), run multiple calculator checks. That helps you see:

  • the earliest plausible expiration date, and
  • the latest plausible expiration date.

Primary CTA

Start here: **/tools/statute-of-limitations

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for Michigan and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

• MCL § 600.5807

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — Tool comparison
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — How-to guide
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — Tool comparison