Statute of Limitations for Class B / 2nd Degree Felony in Massachusetts

Overview

In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations (SOL) sets a deadline for the Commonwealth to commence a criminal case—typically by filing charges or otherwise initiating the prosecution—before the time window expires.

For a Class B felony (Massachusetts uses classed felonies in addition to other charge types), or what many people loosely describe as a “2nd degree felony,” the key point is that Massachusetts generally applies a default SOL period for felonies unless a specific exception applies. In this jurisdiction, the general/default period is 6 years, drawn from:

• Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63

No class-type-specific sub-rule was identified for Class B / 2nd degree felony beyond the general rule in the jurisdiction data you provided. That means the guidance below should be treated as the general baseline rather than a guarantee that every Class B charge will follow the same deadline in every fact pattern.

Limitation period

Default SOL for Class B / “2nd degree felony” in Massachusetts

Under the jurisdiction data provided, Massachusetts uses a 6-year SOL for the general category of felony prosecutions.

• General SOL period: 6 years
• General statute: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63

In practical terms, DocketMath’s SOL calculator (linked below) uses this 6-year baseline to compute the deadline based on the date of the alleged offense (and, where applicable, any user-selected pausing/tolling inputs you provide).

Inputs that typically change the output (how to use the calculator)

SOL calculators need at least one “anchor date.” For felony SOL, the most common anchor is:

• Date of the offense (or the earliest date the offense is alleged to have occurred)

Depending on the case details you enter, the calculated “earliest expiration” date may shift if you apply tolling concepts (if supported by the tool’s options). Since Massachusetts SOL doctrine can involve pauses based on events like the defendant’s absence, the need for accuracy depends heavily on the record.

Use the calculator as follows:

• Start with the offense date
• Then choose whether to account for any tolling/pausing circumstances that match the tool’s supported inputs
• Review the output to see:

  • the calculated SOL expiration date (under the selected assumptions)
  • the time remaining as of any additional date you may enter (if the tool supports it)

Quick time math example (baseline only)

If the alleged offense date is January 1, 2020, a 6-year baseline SOL expiration date (ignoring exceptions and tolling) would fall around:

• January 1, 2026

Because real cases often involve exception arguments, treat this as a baseline estimate, not a final legal determination.

Key exceptions

Massachusetts SOL law includes scenarios where the baseline deadline may be extended, tolled, or otherwise altered by statute or doctrine. Since your jurisdiction data provided only the general/default period and indicated no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found, the “exceptions” here should be understood as category-based considerations rather than a guarantee that any particular exception will apply to your charge.

Common categories that can affect SOL analysis include:

• Tolling for periods when the defendant is not amenable to prosecution
• **Statutory rules tied to specific circumstances (e.g., certain forms of concealment or unavailability)
• Procedural timing questions (whether the case was properly commenced within the deadline)

How to approach exceptions in an SOL workflow (practical steps)

Use a repeatable workflow:

• Step 1: Confirm the offense date used in the charging document

  • If the alleged conduct spans multiple dates, determine the earliest alleged date.
• Step 2: Identify any record events that could affect timing

  • Examples include periods of absence or procedural delays tied to statutory mechanisms (when supported by the tool’s inputs).
• Step 3: Run the calculator twice

  • Once with baseline only (6 years)
  • Once with any tolling/pausing options that match the facts you have
• Step 4: Compare outputs

  • If the “baseline-only” deadline is near a filing date, exceptions become more consequential.
  • If the filing date is clearly well inside the baseline period, SOL issues become less likely.

Statute citation

Massachusetts’ general SOL baseline for felony prosecutions is:

• Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63 (General SOL period: 6 years)

This is the default/general rule reflected in the jurisdiction data you provided. Because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for Class B / “2nd degree felony” within that dataset, the 6-year period should be treated as the starting point for SOL calculations in Massachusetts for this charge class, subject to any applicable exceptions.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath to compute the SOL deadline using the Massachusetts 6-year baseline from Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 277, § 63.

Primary CTA: **/tools/statute-of-limitations

What you’ll typically enter

In most SOL calculator workflows, you’ll provide:

• Offense date (or earliest alleged date)
• Optional: dates or toggles for any tolling/pausing circumstances supported by the calculator interface

How outputs change

• Changing the offense date shifts the calculated expiration date by the same number of days/years.
• Adding tolling/pausing inputs generally extends the expiration date relative to baseline-only calculations.
• Removing exceptions returns you to the 6-year baseline ending under ch. 277, § 63.

If you want a practical check, do a baseline run first, then rerun with any exception toggles that the facts support.

Sources and references

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

• Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2

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