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Case Summary
Society of California Pioneers v. Baker
Soc’y of Cal. Pioneers v. Baker, No. 92-945939 (Cal. Super. Ct. May 2, 1997) (granting summary judgment), rev’d, 50 Cal. Rptr. 2d 865 (Cal. Ct. App. 1996) (ordering trial court to enter judgment for plaintiff).
Précis
The Society of California Pioneers brought suit against Roger Baker for the return of a gold quartz cane handle stolen from a display case over a decade earlier. The trial court ruled for Baker on the grounds that the action was barred by the
statute of limitations
1) A law that bars claims after a specified period; specifically, a statute establishing a time limit for suing in a civil case, based on the date when the claim accrued (as when the injury occurred or was discovered). The purpose of such a statute is to require diligent prosecution of known claims, thereby providing finality and predictability in legal affairs and ensuring that claims will be resolved while evidence is reasonably available and fresh. 2) A statute establishing a time limit for prosecuting a crime, based on the date when the offense occurred (Black’s Law Dictionary (8th ed. 2004)).
statute of limitations. The appellate court . . . .
Associated Legal Decision(s)
Associated Statutes and/or Legislation
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