Statute of Limitations for False Arrest / False Imprisonment in District of Columbia

Overview

In the District of Columbia, claims commonly described as false arrest or false imprisonment generally fall under the District’s 3-year statute of limitations rule for certain personal injury–type actions. DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you translate that rule into a concrete “latest filing date” based on your start date (often the date of the arrest or confinement).

This post covers the default rule for the District of Columbia. As of the cited authority below, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for false arrest/false imprisonment—so you should treat this as the general/default period unless a separate statute or recognized doctrine applies to a particular case.

Limitation period

Default statute of limitations (SOL)

• General SOL period: 3 years
• General statute: **D.C. Code § 23–113(a)(1)

For false arrest/false imprisonment, you typically measure the SOL from the event that triggered the alleged wrongful confinement (often the date of arrest or date of imprisonment/confinement). Because the exact “accrual” concept can matter (for example, if there were multiple confinement dates), using DocketMath’s calculator with the correct starting date is critical.

Practical timing checklist

Before you calculate, gather these items:

How the output changes

Using DocketMath’s SOL calculator:

• If you use a later start date, the deadline shifts later by the same amount.
• If you use an earlier start date, the deadline shifts earlier.
• If tolling applies (see next section), the “effective” deadline can move forward—often by suspending the clock for a defined period.

Key exceptions

The cited statute provides a general 3-year limitations period. Even then, real-world deadlines can change due to exceptions like:

• Tolling for legal disability (commonly addressed in limitation statutes through provisions allowing the clock to pause)
• Statutory tolling events where the legislature explicitly suspends or extends the limitations clock
• Accrual disputes (when the claim “starts” for limitations purposes—sometimes contested in fact patterns involving continuing confinement or later discovery of key facts)

Because your brief focuses on the default rule and no claim-type-specific sub-rule was located in the referenced source, you should treat the 3-year period as the baseline and then test whether tolling or accrual issues create a different outcome.

What to look for in your record

To evaluate exceptions without guessing, check whether the facts support any of the most common SOL adjustments:

• Was the plaintiff under a recognized legal disability during any portion of the limitations period?
• Did any statute authorize tolling for events connected to the plaintiff’s ability to sue?
• Is there more than one relevant date (e.g., initial arrest date vs. end of confinement) that affects accrual?

If you’re not sure which date to use as the SOL “start date,” run the calculation using both plausible dates (e.g., arrest date and confinement end date) and compare results—then align with how your case theory frames accrual.

Statute citation

D.C. Code § 23–113(a)(1) (general rule) provides the baseline limitation period used for actions covered by the statute:

• 3-year general statute of limitations
• Source text: https://law.justia.com/codes/district-of-columbia/2014/division-iv/title-23/chapter-1/section-23-113/

For a DocketMath calculation of a false arrest/false imprisonment timing window in the District of Columbia, the key takeaway is:

• Use 3 years as the SOL length under the general/default period.
• Treat specialized sub-rules as unconfirmed based on the cited source, unless other controlling law applies.

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool converts the statute into an exact date.

1. Go to /tools/statute-of-limitations
2. Enter the Start date:

   • Choose the date that best matches your accrual theory (often arrest/confinement start).
3. Select or confirm the jurisdiction: **District of Columbia (US-DC)
4. Confirm the SOL length:

   • 3 years under **D.C. Code § 23–113(a)(1)
5. Review the output:

   • The tool will provide the latest filing date based on your inputs.

Input guidance (so your output matches your case)

Consider running two calculations if the record contains multiple plausible triggering dates:

• Calculation A: Start date = arrest date
• Calculation B: Start date = confinement end date

Then compare the “latest filing date” differences:

• If confinement spans weeks or months, the difference can be meaningful—sometimes enough to affect whether a filing is timely.
• This is also a fast way to surface whether your timeline relies on a more disputed accrual date.

If the calculator output seems tight

If your computed deadline is close, double-check:

• Whether your entered start date matches the operative facts.
• Whether you have a plausible basis for tolling or a different accrual date under governing doctrine.
• Whether there are procedural deadlines layered onto the SOL (for example, filing-related requirements that don’t change the SOL length but affect practical readiness).

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