Statute of Limitations for Class A / 1st Degree Felony in Arkansas

Overview

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

In Arkansas, the statute of limitations (“SOL”) for filing criminal charges sets a deadline for when the state must begin prosecution after an alleged offense. For a Class A felony—often referred to in practice as a 1st degree felony depending on charging language—the default SOL comes from Arkansas’s general limitations framework for felonies.

For this article, the key takeaway is straightforward: Arkansas provides a general/default SOL period of 6 years for felonies, including Class A / 1st degree felony charges when no claim-type-specific sub-rule applies. No separate, claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for this specific charge category, so you should treat the 6-year rule as the controlling baseline.

If you’re using DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator (see: [/tools/statute-of-limitations]), the goal is to convert those legal rules into a date-based answer: “How many years from the triggering date until the SOL runs?” The calculator helps you test scenarios quickly, especially when dates (incident date, filing date, or tolling events) are in question.

Limitation period

Default SOL for Class A / 1st degree felony in Arkansas

General SOL period: 6 years
**General statute: Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2)

Because the research did not identify a separate claim-type-specific limitation for Class A / 1st degree felony charges, the 6-year default period is the starting point.

A practical way to think about it:

• Start point (“triggering date”): typically the date the alleged offense occurred (more nuanced rules can exist depending on the fact pattern, but this is the common baseline for calculating the SOL).
• End point: the date the state must commence prosecution within that SOL window.
• Baseline duration: 6 years.

How the SOL window works (date math)

When using a calculator like DocketMath, your primary inputs usually include:

• Date of offense / incident (the most common triggering date used for baseline calculations)
• Date charges were filed / prosecution commenced (to see whether the filing falls inside or after the SOL window)

Then the calculator applies the rule:

• If filing date ≤ triggering date + 6 years → generally within the SOL window (subject to exceptions/tolling).
• If filing date > triggering date + 6 years → generally outside the SOL window (again, subject to exceptions/tolling).

Common scenario checklist (for quick self-audit)

Use this checklist to understand what you may need before you run the calculator:

Key exceptions

Even with a clean 6-year baseline, SOL analysis often turns on whether an exception or tolling rule changes the effective deadline. Arkansas’s limitations rules include circumstances that can extend, pause, or otherwise alter the SOL timeline.

Because this brief is focused on the general/default period and the provided statutory data specifies the 6-year rule without identifying a claim-type-specific sub-rule for Class A / 1st degree felony, treat the following as issue-spotting categories to check before relying on a straight 6-year calculation:

1) Tolling or delay-related facts

Some fact patterns can affect the limitations calculation by adding time, tolling the clock, or changing the triggering analysis.

• Practical example to look for: a situation where the defendant is absent, unavailable, or where the statute recognizes a delay mechanism.

2) Triggering-date disputes

Even when the statute’s length is clear, the start date can be contested—especially if the alleged conduct spans multiple dates.

• Practical example to look for: an alleged course of conduct with multiple acts, making “the offense date” ambiguous for calculation purposes.

3) Charging differences (class vs. label)

“1st degree felony” can show up in different ways in case captions or summaries. Your calculation should align with the actual charged class that the state pleads under Arkansas law.

What to do with exceptions in practice

DocketMath’s approach is designed for quick testing:

• Run a baseline calculation using the default 6-year rule.
• If an exception/tolling fact is plausible, rerun using the adjusted date logic (where supported by your inputs).
• Document assumptions you used, so you can explain them consistently.

Statute citation

Ark. Code Ann. § 5-1-109(b)(2)

• Sets the general statute of limitations period of 6 years for the relevant felony category under Arkansas’s general limitations framework.

This article uses only the general/default SOL rule because no separate claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified for Class A / 1st degree felony charges in the provided jurisdiction data.

Use the calculator

DocketMath can help you compute the SOL deadline using Arkansas’s default 6-year rule.

Steps (baseline calculation)

1. Go to [/tools/statute-of-limitations]
2. Select **Arkansas (US-AR)
3. Enter:

   • Offense date (triggering date)
   • Filing/commencement date (the date you want to compare against the SOL deadline)
4. Review the calculator output:

   • The computed end date for the 6-year SOL window
   • Whether the filing date falls within or after that window

You can also use DocketMath to test alternate fact assumptions, such as:

• using a different offense date if the case involves multiple acts
• comparing multiple filing dates if docket events are unclear

How outputs change with your inputs

If you’re comparing scenarios, keep your assumptions consistent: one baseline run, then a second run with only one variable changed.

Sources and references

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

• Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105

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