Statute of Limitations for Class C / Petty Misdemeanor in Michigan

Overview

In Michigan, the statute of limitations (SOL) sets a deadline for the prosecution to file charges or take other qualifying legal steps. For many misdemeanor matters—commonly referred to in practice as “Class C” misdemeanors or “petty misdemeanors”—Michigan generally uses a 6-year limitations period under the state’s default misdemeanor SOL rule.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator is designed to help you translate the applicable SOL into a concrete end date based on the relevant timeline you enter. Use it as a planning aid—not as a substitute for case-specific review of charging documents, procedural history, and any tolling events.

Limitation period

General rule (baseline)

For the offense category described in this guide (Class C / petty misdemeanor in Michigan), the default SOL period is 6 years.

That 6-year period is governed by Michigan’s general statute for criminal limitations, found at:

• **MCL § 767.24(1)

What the “start date” usually means in practice

The calculator needs a starting point. Typically, that starting point is tied to the date of the alleged offense (often called the “offense date”). If your timeline uses a different triggering date (for example, a later event in a continuing conduct scenario), you’ll want to reflect that accurately—SOL outcomes can change if the wrong “start” is used.

How the output changes with your inputs

When you use DocketMath’s calculator:

• Earlier offense date → earlier SOL expiration date
• Later offense date → later SOL expiration date
• Same offense date → different SOL expiration dates if tolling/extended periods are selected (if the calculator provides controls for those concepts)

Because criminal procedure can include multiple filings and procedural steps, the SOL “deadline” isn’t always a single calendar day that ends all activity. That’s why the calculator is best used to produce a deadline estimate that you can compare against case milestones.

Key exceptions

Even when the baseline is 6 years, SOL calculations in criminal cases can be affected by exceptions and “time does not run” concepts. Michigan law can treat certain periods as not counting toward the limitations clock. These may include circumstances such as:

• Tolling events that pause the limitations period
• Procedural steps that may reset or affect the timing analysis
• Jurisdictional or charging changes tied to how the case proceeds

Because the mechanics of exceptions depend heavily on what happened in the specific case, DocketMath’s tool works best when you:

• choose the most accurate offense date you have, and
• if the calculator interface includes fields for tolling/exception inputs, select only what you can support with the record.

Practical checklist (case-planning oriented)

Before you run the calculator, gather these dates (from police reports, charging documents, or docket entries):

Then enter the offense date as the starting point and compare the calculator’s SOL end date to your key case milestone date.

Statute citation

Michigan’s general/default limitations period for criminal actions is stated at:

• MCL § 767.24(1) — 6 years (general rule referenced for the misdemeanor category addressed here)

This guide uses the general baseline SOL because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for Class C / petty misdemeanor in the provided jurisdiction data. In other words, the 6-year period is treated as the default rather than a special-case duration.

Michigan’s official state website is listed as the source used for the jurisdiction details here:

• https://www.michigan.gov

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you compute an SOL expiration date using the timeline inputs you provide.

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

Inputs to enter (what to look for)

In most SOL calculators, you’ll typically provide:

• Offense date (the date you’re using as the SOL “start”)
• (Optionally, if the tool includes them) tolling/exception dates or durations
• Comparison date (the date you want to test against the SOL deadline, such as the charging/filing date)

Interpreting the result (how to read it)

After you calculate:

• If the comparison date is on or before the computed SOL end date, the filing may fall within the limitations period.
• If the comparison date is after the computed SOL end date, the filing may fall outside the limitations period.

Keep in mind: the meaning of “filed,” “commenced,” or “qualifying action” can depend on Michigan criminal procedure and how the case was initiated. The calculator is best treated as a timing analysis assistant that outputs a clear deadline based on the inputs you choose.

For a quick run-through, you can also access the tool directly here: /tools/statute-of-limitations.

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