When is an action in a federal question case deemed commenced for statute of limitations purposes?

In federal question cases, an action is deemed commenced for statute of limitations purposes when the complaint is filed with the court. This is primarily governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, specifically Rule 3, which states that a civil action is commenced by filing a complaint with the court.

Filing the complaint puts the court on notice of the action and formally begins the process, allowing for the statute of limitations to be calculated from that point. It is important to recognize that the act of filing is distinct from serving the defendant or notifying the adverse party, which are procedural steps that follow and do not impact when the action itself is considered to have begun for the purposes of the statute of limitations.

Other procedural actions, such as the assignment of a case to a judge, pertain to the management of the case rather than its commencement. Thus, the pivotal moment for the statute of limitations is the filing of the complaint with the court, confirming the selection of adjudication through the civil process.