2019 US Virgin Islands Code
Title 5 - Judicial Procedure
Subtitle 1 - Civil Procedure
Part I - General Provisions; Procedure Before Trial
Chapter 3 - Limitation of Actions
§ 31. Time for commencement of various actions
- Civil actions shall only be commenced within the periods prescribed below after the cause of action shall have accrued, except when, in special cases, a different limitation is prescribed by statute:
(1) Twenty years—
(A) Actions for the recovery of real property, or for the recovery of the possession thereof; and no action shall be maintained for such recovery unless it shall appear that the plaintiff, his ancestor, predecessor, or grantor was seized or possessed of the property in question within twenty years before the commencement of the action.
(B) An action upon a judgment or decree of any court of the United States, or of any State, Commonwealth, or Territory within the United States.
(C) An action upon a sealed instrument.
(2) Ten years—
(A) An action for any cause not otherwise provided for in this section.
(3) Six years —
(A) An action upon a contract or liability, express or implied, excepting those mentioned in paragraph (1)(C) of this section.
(B) An action upon a liability created by statute, other than a penalty or forfeiture.
(C) An action for waste or trespass upon real property.
(D) An action for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property, including an action for the specific recovery thereof.
(4) Three years—
(A) An action against a marshal, peace officer or coroner, upon a liability incurred by the doing of an act in his official capacity or in virtue of his office; or by the omission of an official duty, including the nonpayment of money collected upon an execution; but this provision shall not apply to an action for an escape.
(B) An action upon a statute for penalty or forfeiture, where the action is given to the party aggrieved, or to such party and the Government of the Virgin Islands, except where the statute imposing it prescribes a different limitation.
(5) Two years—
(A) An action for libel, slander, assault, battery, seduction, false imprisonment, or for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising on contract and not herein especially enumerated, or to set aside a sale of real property for non-payment of real property taxes pursuant to Title 33, chapter 89, subchapter III of this Code.
(B) An action upon a statute for a forfeiture or penalty.
(6) One year —
(A) An action against the sheriff, peace officer, or other officer for the escape of a person arrested or imprisoned on civil process.
