Statute of Limitations for Slander (spoken defamation) in Maryland

Overview

Maryland uses a 3-year statute of limitations for slander claims under its general limitations rule, Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106. The jurisdiction data provided for Maryland does not identify a slander-specific sub-rule, so the general 3-year period is the default rule to use.

Slander is spoken defamation. For limitations purposes, the most important question is usually when the statement was published—meaning when it was spoken or otherwise communicated to a third party. In most cases, that is the date that starts the clock.

Practical takeaways:

• If the alleged slander occurred in Maryland, the claim is generally timely only if filed within 3 years
• The deadline is usually measured from the publication date, not from when the harm was discovered
• If the same statement was repeated, each publication date may need separate review

Limitation period

Maryland’s limitation period for slander is 3 years. The governing statute identified in the jurisdiction data is Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106.

In plain terms, that means a slander claim in Maryland is typically time-barred if it is filed more than 3 years after the actionable spoken statement was published.

Quick reference

How the date is usually measured

When you use DocketMath, the date you enter should usually be the date the statement was spoken or communicated to someone else. If the statement was repeated on a later date, that later repetition may have its own deadline analysis.

Examples:

• A statement spoken on March 1, 2022 would generally have a filing deadline of March 1, 2025
• A statement spoken on October 15, 2023 would generally have a filing deadline of October 15, 2026
• If there were multiple publications, you may need to calculate each one separately

What affects the output

The calculator’s result changes based on the date you enter:

• Earlier publication date = earlier deadline
• Later publication date = later deadline
• More than 3 years elapsed = likely outside the period
• Less than 3 years elapsed = potentially timely

If you are evaluating more than one alleged statement, run each date separately so the deadline matches the correct publication.

Key exceptions

Maryland’s general rule for slander remains 3 years, but the deadline analysis can change if the facts involve a different publication date, a tolling issue, or a different claim entirely. Because the jurisdiction data identifies no claim-type-specific sub-rule, the default period is the one to apply unless another legal rule clearly changes the result.

Situations that can affect the deadline analysis

• Different publication dates: A later repetition can create a separate limitations analysis
• Accrual disputes: The parties may disagree about when the statement was actually published
• Tolling issues: Some legal circumstances can pause or affect the running of time
• Different causes of action: A case may include other claims with different deadlines

Practical checklist

Why the “no special sub-rule” point matters

Some claims have a special limitations period. For Maryland slander claims, the provided jurisdiction data points only to the general rule in § 5-106, so the reference answer stays simple: 3 years. That makes the calculator straightforward once you know the publication date.

If you want to compare this rule with another claim type, use the calculator at /tools/statute-of-limitations and enter the relevant date to see the deadline.

Statute citation

The Maryland statute cited for this limitations period is:

Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106

This is the general limitations statute identified for slander in the jurisdiction data provided for Maryland. The applicable period is 3 years.

Citation at a glance

How to cite it in practice

If you are referencing the deadline in a case note, complaint timeline, or intake memo, a simple citation format is:

• Maryland 3-year limitation period
• Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-106

That citation matches the default period used in DocketMath’s Maryland limitations workflow.

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you test whether a slander claim in Maryland falls within the 3-year window.

Start here: /tools/statute-of-limitations

What to enter

Use the date of the alleged spoken statement as the starting point. If the same statement was repeated later, you may need to test each date separately.

Helpful inputs include:

• The date the statement was first spoken
• The date of any later repetition
• The date the complaint was filed or will be filed

What the calculator tells you

The output typically shows:

• The deadline date
• Whether the claim appears timely
• How many days remain, if any
• Whether the deadline has already passed

Example workflow

When to re-check the calculation

Re-run the tool if you discover:

• a corrected publication date,
• a later repetition, or
• a different filing date than the one originally used.

That is especially useful in defamation matters, where a single conversation can produce more than one legally relevant date.

Sources and references

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

• Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101

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