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

Overview

Oregon’s statute of limitations sets a deadline for the state to file a criminal charge after an alleged offense occurs. For a Class B / 2nd degree felony, the limitation period generally turns on how Oregon classifies the crime and when the relevant “clock” starts.

In Oregon, courts commonly describe these deadlines as legislatively defined time limits for initiating prosecution. If the filing deadline is missed, defendants may be able to raise a limitations defense—though the exact outcome depends on case-specific details like timing and any statutory tolling events.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator is designed to help you model those time limits quickly using the dates you have. You’ll still want to verify the underlying facts (especially the offense date and any events that may pause or extend the deadline), but the calculator can make the timeline clearer.

Limitation period

For Oregon felonies, the limitations period is established by statute and depends on the felony class. Under Oregon law, the typical rule for many felony limitations categories is that the state has a fixed number of years to commence prosecution.

For a Class B felony (also described as “2nd degree” in many everyday references), the limitation period is:

• 10 years from the date the offense was committed (the standard baseline rule for computing the limitation period, absent tolling or exception).

How the “clock” typically starts

In practical terms, the baseline calculation usually begins with:

• Offense date (when the criminal conduct occurred)

Then the state’s filing deadline is computed by adding the limitation period to that date:

• Offense date + 10 years = last date by which prosecution must be commenced (subject to exceptions).

What “commence prosecution” means in calculations

When you use a calculator, the output depends heavily on what you treat as the relevant “filing” date. Commonly, people model it using:

• Date of indictment or date the charging instrument was filed

If you have both:

• an earlier investigation date, and
• a later formal filing date, the limitation question typically focuses on the charging date, not the investigation start date.

Output sensitivity: dates matter

Two cases that differ by one year can produce different results. For example:

• Offense: 2020-01-15
• Limitation: 10 years
• Baseline deadline: 2030-01-15 (then you adjust for how the system treats “on/after” dates)

If prosecution starts on:

• 2030-01-10 → still within the modeled window
• 2030-01-20 → outside the modeled window

DocketMath’s calculator is built to show how that date boundary changes when you adjust the inputs.

Key exceptions

Oregon’s limitations rules include exceptions and tolling concepts. These can either extend the deadline or change when the limitation period runs. The big picture:

• There is a baseline 10-year period for the applicable felony class.
• Certain events can pause (“toll”) or otherwise affect the running of time.

Because exceptions can be fact-specific, the best workflow is:

1. Identify the offense date.
2. Identify the prosecution commencement date you plan to test.
3. Review any known statutory tolling events that may apply (for example, if the defendant was absent, unavailable, or otherwise subject to statutory pause provisions).
4. Re-run the calculator with any tolling adjustments reflected in your inputs.

Common tolling questions to check

When you’re gathering details, consider these practical prompts:

• Was the defendant unavailable or outside the reach of process for a legally relevant period?
• Did the case involve procedural events that change how time is counted (e.g., amended accusatory instruments, continuances tied to specific statutory triggers)?
• Are there any statutory events that trigger an extended limitation period for the specific offense conduct?

Because Oregon’s exceptions depend on statutory text and the precise facts, don’t assume tolling applies just because it happened “generally”—you’ll want to tie any tolling claim to the specific event and timing.

Statute citation

The Oregon statute providing the limitation framework for felony classes—including the applicable period for Class B / 2nd degree felony—is found in Oregon’s criminal procedure provisions on statutes of limitation.

Use this citation as your anchor for the governing limitation period:

• ORS 131.125 (Statute of limitations for criminal actions)

For Class B felonies, ORS 131.125 establishes the applicable 10-year limitation period.

If you’re cross-checking, make sure you’re reading the version of ORS 131.125 that applies to the offense date (statutory amendments can affect wording, computation rules, or related definitions).

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you model the timeline for a Class B / 2nd degree felony in Oregon. Start with the baseline 10-year computation, then adjust for any exception/tolling inputs you have reliable facts for.

Primary CTA: /tools/statute-of-limitations

Suggested inputs

Use the following inputs (the exact labels may appear slightly differently in the tool):

• Jurisdiction: Oregon (US-OR)
• Offense date: the date the conduct occurred
• Felony class: Class B (2nd degree)
• Prosecution/charging date: the date the charging instrument was filed or prosecution commenced
• Tolling/exception adjustments (if applicable): any pause periods you can support with the case facts

How outputs change with each input

Here’s what typically shifts the result:

• Later offense date → later deadline.
  Move offense date forward by 30 days, and your modeled last filing date moves forward by roughly the same amount.
• Earlier prosecution date → more likely “within.”
  If you’re testing timeliness, the charging date is often the deciding factor near the deadline.
• Tolling adjustments → later deadline.
  If you include a tolling period, the calculator should push the deadline out by that amount assuming the tolling conditions are met in law and fact.

Run a quick timeliness check

1. Enter your offense date.
2. Select Class B.
3. Enter your charging/prosecution date.
4. If you know of a statutory tolling event, add the relevant tolling duration and re-run.
5. Review the calculator’s modeled:

   • deadline date, and
   • timeliness result (within/outside)

If your result is close (for example, within a few weeks of the deadline), re-check:

• the exact offense date (not an estimate),
• the exact charging date, and
• any claimed tolling facts and durations.

Sources and references

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

• Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.010

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