What does “statute of limitations” mean in English?

Every lawsuit has a time limit. A statute of limitations is a law that sets a deadline for taking someone to court. Miss the deadline and your case is dismissed — even if your argument is strong. In Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI, a jury found he had waited too long. The three-year deadline had already passed, so the court threw out all his claims.

In the report, the anchor explains: “The jury finding Musk did not bring his lawsuit until after the three-year statute of limitations had passed. That means all claims against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are now dismissed.” The phrase comes up in many situations, not just big tech cases. You might hear: “She can’t sue the company — the statute of limitations ran out two years ago.” Or on a crime drama: “There’s no statute of limitations on murder” — meaning some crimes can be charged at any time, with no deadline at all. It is a formal, newsy phrase. You will hear it in court reporting, legal dramas, and any news story where a case is rejected for being filed too late.