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

Worked example

For a US-MA Class B / 2nd Degree Felony limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

• Accrual date: 2024-04-25
• Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

• Start with the accrual date.
• Add 3 years.
• The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Limitation period

Step-by-step deadline check

For a US-MA Class B / 2nd Degree Felony limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

• Accrual date: 2024-04-25
• Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

• Start with the accrual date.
• Add 3 years.
• The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

Step-by-step deadline check

For a US-MA Class B / 2nd Degree Felony limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

• Accrual date: 2024-04-25
• Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

• Start with the accrual date.
• Add 3 years.
• The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

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.

Step-by-step deadline check

For a US-MA Class B / 2nd Degree Felony limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

• Accrual date: 2024-04-25
• Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

• Start with the accrual date.
• Add 3 years.
• The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

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

Step-by-step deadline check

For a US-MA Class B / 2nd Degree Felony limitations check, use the verified limitations period from the current rule packet: 3 years. The authority packet cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleV/Chapter260/Section2A).

Example inputs:

• Accrual date: 2024-04-25
• Filing date checked: 2026-04-25

Calculation:

• Start with the accrual date.
• Add 3 years.
• The example deadline is 2027-04-25.

This example is generated from the verified facts packet rather than freeform prose. Confirm tolling, discovery rules, and claim-specific exceptions before relying on the date.

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