
      (a) Criminal Proceedings. - Except as expressly provided
    otherwise in this title, no criminal proceeding shall be maintained
    under the provisions of this title unless it is commenced within 5
    years after the cause of action arose.
      (b) Civil Actions. - No civil action shall be maintained under
    the provisions of this title unless it is commenced within three
    years after the claim accrued.

                       HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES                   
                         HOUSE REPORT NO. 94-1476                     
      Section 507, which is substantially identical with section 115 of
    the present law [section 115 of former title 17], establishes a
    three-year statute of limitations for both criminal proceedings and
    civil actions. The language of this section, which was adopted by
    the act of September 7, 1957 (71 Stat. 633) [Pub. L. 85-313, Sec.
    1, Sept. 7, 1957, 71 Stat. 633], represents a reconciliation of
    views, and has therefore been left unaltered.
                                AMENDMENTS                            
      1998 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-304 substituted "Except as
    expressly provided otherwise in this title, no" for "No".
      1997 - Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105-147 substituted "5" for "three".

Last modified: April 19, 2006