Statute of Limitations for False Arrest / False Imprisonment in Kentucky

Overview

In Kentucky, claims labeled as false arrest or false imprisonment are typically treated as tort claims for purposes of a statute of limitations analysis. For most people, the practical question is straightforward: how long does someone have to file a lawsuit after an arrest or detention ends?

Kentucky does not provide a single “false arrest / false imprisonment” statute-of-limitations rule with a separate deadline. Instead, the Kentucky limitations-period analysis for these kinds of claims generally relies on the state’s general/default limitations period, found in KRS 500.020.

If you’re trying to estimate your filing deadline, you’ll usually need two dates:

• Start date (often the arrest date or the date the unlawful restraint began)
• End date (often when the arrest/detention ended—important because the claim is usually anchored to when the restraint ended)

DocketMath helps you turn those dates into a concrete “latest filing” estimate using the relevant Kentucky SOL rule.

Limitation period

Default SOL period: 5 years (general rule)

Kentucky’s general statute of limitations for many civil actions is five (5) years under KRS 500.020. For false arrest / false imprisonment, Kentucky does not appear to have a separate, shorter or longer limitations period specifically labeled for these exact tort labels—so the general/default five-year deadline is the baseline.

What that means in practice

• If you file more than 5 years after the operative date, your claim may be time-barred.
• If you file within 5 years, the claim is generally within the SOL framework—though other procedural rules (like accrual nuances) can still matter.

How the deadline moves with the dates

Because the SOL rule is time-based, the deadline is driven by the date your claim accrues (commonly tied to when the restraint ends). Here’s how to think about the moving parts:

Common “inputs” you’ll use with DocketMath

When you use the statute-of-limitations calculator in Kentucky, you’ll typically provide:

• Date of incident / restraint start (optional, depending on how you choose to model accrual)
• Date the arrest/detention ended (often the best anchor for SOL estimation in this context)
• Date you plan to file (or you want the latest filing date for)

DocketMath then calculates whether a filing date is within the 5-year period under the Kentucky default rule.

Key exceptions

Even with a clear general rule, exceptions and adjustments can affect whether a claim is time-barred. The most common categories you should be aware of are tolling, accrual changes, and procedural timing.

1) Tolling and “time-out” periods

Some circumstances can pause the limitations clock. Kentucky’s tolling framework can apply in specific contexts (for example, certain disability, recognized legal tolling categories, or other statutory pauses). The key practical takeaway:

• If tolling applies, the “5-year” period effectively gets extended.
• If tolling does not apply, the clock runs according to the general rule.

Because tolling can be highly fact-specific, DocketMath’s calculator is best used as a baseline estimator; it can show the default deadline, while you validate whether any tolling facts exist.

2) Accrual timing can differ from “arrest date”

The phrase “false arrest / false imprisonment” describes unlawful restraint, but accrual can depend on how the restraint plays out. For example:

• If custody/detention continues beyond the initial arrest moment, your accrual trigger may align with when that custody ends.
• If there’s a dispute about when the restraint ended, that can change the SOL calculation.

DocketMath helps you model this by letting you choose the operative date you want to use as the accrual anchor.

3) Procedural posture isn’t the same as SOL

A case can be dismissed for reasons unrelated to SOL (for example, pleading defects or jurisdictional problems). Still, SOL is often a threshold issue. Your deadline estimate should be treated as a timing screen—not a decision about the merits.

Statute citation

The Kentucky general statute of limitations used as the default in these situations is:

• KRS 500.020 — General five-year limitations period (default SOL)

Because no claim-type-specific sub-rule for false arrest / false imprisonment is identified here, the five-year general period is the applicable baseline for DocketMath’s Kentucky statute-of-limitations calculation.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator to generate a concrete “latest filing date” estimate under Kentucky’s default 5-year rule (KRS 500.020): /tools/statute-of-limitations.

Here’s a practical workflow:

• Step 1: Open the tool: /tools/statute-of-limitations
• Step 2: Select **Kentucky (US-KY)
• Step 3: Enter your key date anchor

  • If you’re estimating based on restraint ending, enter the date the arrest/detention ended
  • If your facts point to a different accrual trigger, enter the date that matches your situation
• Step 4: Enter the filing date you want to test (or request the latest filing deadline)
• Step 5: Review the output range relative to 5 years

How output changes with your inputs

Check these common “input-to-result” relationships:

• Earlier end/trigger date → SOL deadline is earlier → greater risk of being outside the 5-year window
• Later end/trigger date → SOL deadline is later → more time to file
• Filing date after the calculated deadline → higher likelihood of a SOL time-bar argument (subject to tolling/accrual disputes)
• Filing date within the calculated period → generally within the SOL framework under the default rule

To get the most reliable calculation, align the “trigger date” you enter with how your restraint ended, not merely when the paperwork was filed or when court events occurred.

Sources and references

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

• Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140

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