
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-518 Section 207]
[CITE: 28USC2501]

 
               TITLE 28--JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
 
                     PART VI--PARTICULAR PROCEEDINGS
 
      CHAPTER 165--UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS PROCEDURE
 
Sec. 2501. Time for filing suit

    Every claim of which the United States Court of Federal Claims has 
jurisdiction shall be barred unless the petition thereon is filed within 
six years after such claim first accrues.
    Every claim under section 1497 of this title shall be barred unless 
the petition thereon is filed within two years after the termination of 
the river and harbor improvements operations on which the claim is 
based.
    A petition on the claim of a person under legal disability or beyond 
the seas at the time the claim accrues may be filed within three years 
after the disability ceases.
    A suit for the fees of an officer of the United States shall not be 
filed until his account for such fees has been finally acted upon, 
unless the General Accounting Office fails to act within six months 
after receiving the account.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 976; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, Sec. 52, 
68 Stat. 1246; Pub. L. 97-164, title I, Sec. 139(a), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 
Stat. 42; Pub. L. 102-572, title IX, Sec. 902(a)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 
Stat. 4516.)


                      Historical and Revision Notes

    Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Secs. 250(2), 250a, and 262 
(Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, Secs. 145, 156, 36 Stat. 1136, 1139; June 10, 
1921, ch. 18, Sec. 304, 42 Stat. 24; Aug. 30, 1935, ch. 831, Sec. 13, 49 
Stat. 1049; July 13, 1943, ch. 231, 57 Stat. 553).
    Section consolidates limitation provisions of sections 250(2), 250a, 
and 262 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed.
    Words ``a person under legal disability or beyond the seas at the 
time the claim accrues'' were substituted for ``married women first 
accrued during marriage, of persons under the age of twenty-one years 
first accrued during minority, and of idiots, lunatics, insane persons, 
and persons beyond the seas at the time the claim accrued; entitled to 
the claim,''. The revised language will cover all legal disabilities 
actually barring suit. For example, the particular reference to married 
women is archaic, and is eliminated by use of the general language 
substituted.
    Words ``nor shall any of the said disabilities operate 
cumulatively'' were omitted, in view of the elimination of the reference 
to specific disabilities. Also, persons under legal disability could not 
sue, and their suits should not be barred until they become able to sue. 
Similar sections of the U.S. Code do not contain any such provision. 
(For example, see section 502 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., 
incorporated in section 544 of this title.)
    The section was extended to include claims referred by the head of 
an executive department in conformity with section 2510 of this title.


                               Amendments

    1992--Pub. L. 102-572 substituted ``United States Court of Federal 
Claims'' for ``United States Claims Court''.
    1982--Pub. L. 97-164 substituted ``United States Claims Court'' for 
``Court of Claims''.
    1954--Act Sept. 3, 1954, struck out ``, or the claim is referred by 
the Senate or House of Representatives, or by the head of an executive 
department'' in first par.


                    Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 102-572 effective Oct. 29, 1992, see section 
911 of Pub. L. 102-572, set out as a note under section 171 of this 
title.


                    Effective Date of 1982 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 97-164 effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 
of Pub. L. 97-164, set out as a note under section 171 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in title 41 section 114.
