What is the SOL for victims of non-serious crimes v. convicted criminals in civil actions?

• A. 3 years from date of crime
• B. 5 years from date of crime
• C. 10 years from date of crime
• D. 7 years from date of crime

Answer: (D)

A civil action by a crime victim against a person who has been convicted of the underlying offense has a special statute of limitations. For victims of non-serious crimes, the period to file runs seven years from the date of the crime. This longer window reflects the distinct nature of pursuing civil relief tied to criminal conduct and the actor’s convicted status, rather than the ordinary personal-injury timeline. The seven-year limit starts at the crime date rather than when the injury is discovered, and it generally applies specifically to this crime-victim context. Other time frames aren’t appropriate for this scenario because they correspond to ordinary personal-injury cases (typically three years) or other types of actions.