Statute of Limitations for Section 1983 Civil Rights Claims in Colorado

How the limitation period applies

The controlling primary authority for Colorado statute of limitations for tort actions (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a)) is Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a).

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a). 13-80-102. General limitation of actions - two years. (1) The following civil actions, regardless of the theory upon which suit is brought, or against whom suit is brought, must be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues, and not thereafter: (a) Tort actions, including but not limited to actions for negligence, trespass, malicious abuse of process, malicious prosecution, outrageous conduct, interference with relationships, and tortious breach of contract; except that this paragraph (a) does not apply to any tort action arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle as set forth in section 13-80-101 (1)(n); (b) All actions for strict liability, absolute liability, or failure to instruct or warn; (c) All actions, regardless of the theory asserted, against any veterinarian; (d) All actions for wrongful death, except as described in subsection (2) of this section; (f) All actions against any public or governmental entity or any employee of a public or governmental entity for which insurance coverage is provided pursuant to article 14 of title 24, C.R.S.; (g) All actions upon liability created by a federal statute where no period of limitation is provided in said federal statute; (h) All actions against any public or governmental entity or any employee of a public or governmental entity, except as otherwise provided in this section or section 13-80-103; (i) All other actions of every kind for which no other period of limitation is provided; (j) All actions brought under section 42-6-204, C.R.S.; (k) All actions brought under section 13-21-109 (2). (2) A civil action for a wrongful death against a defendant who committed vehicular homicide, as described in section 18-3-106, C.R.S., and, as part of the same criminal episode, committed the offense of leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in the death of a person, as described in section 42-4-1601 (2)(c), C.R.S., regardless of the theory upon which suit is brought, or against whom suit is brought, must be commenced within four years after the cause of action accrues, and not thereafter.

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DocketMath's statute-of-limitations tool can model these timelines once you identify the controlling claim type and accrual date. Use the source panel for the verified primary-source citations.

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Sources

• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a) — 13-80-102. General limitation of actions - two years

All sources are official primary law published by content.leg.colorado.gov (state legislature, .gov).

Corroboration method: Single primary source from content.leg.colorado.gov (Colorado General Assembly Office of Legislative Legal Services), the official .gov publisher of the annual CRS title PDFs. Note: the page footer marks the PDF 'Uncertified Printout'; Colorado's only certified electronic version is Lexis-hosted, but the .gov-hosted PDF is the legislature's own official publication and satisfies the charter..