What This Statute Says
This section answers what happens when a debtor with old obligations moves to Arizona. Two protections carry across the state line: a claim that was already time-barred in the prior state stays barred here, and a debt discharged in another state's bankruptcy stays discharged here.
A. No action shall be maintained against a person removing to this state from another state or foreign country to recover upon an action which was barred by the law of limitations of the state or country from which he migrated.
A.R.S. § 12-506When This Statute Comes Into Play
Common situations:
- A creditor sues an Arizona resident on a debt that was already time-barred where the debtor used to live.
- An estate of someone who relocated from another state is hit with stale claims from the prior state.
- A creditor tries to bring a claim in Arizona after a foreign bankruptcy discharged the obligation.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Many Arizona families include members who moved here from other states later in life. Their debts and obligations come with them, but so do the protections that built up during their years elsewhere. A clever creditor cannot use Arizona's longer deadlines to revive a claim that another state had already retired.
If a parent or spouse moved here from another state and an old creditor surfaces during probate, do not assume Arizona's limitations period gives the creditor a second chance. The earlier state's limit may already have run, and that bar carries over. Our FAQ on whether creditors can pursue inherited money covers a related concern. Pull together the documentation of when the debtor moved, when the debt arose, and what state's law would apply. An Arizona probate attorney can quickly evaluate whether 12-506 ends the claim. The personal representative needs to know which old bills to address and which to refuse, and this section often clears the books of stale out-of-state demands.