What This Statute Says
This section lists the actions that Arizona requires to be filed within one year. The list is short but consequential: malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, libel and slander, seduction and breach of promise of marriage, and breach of certain employment contracts.
There shall be commenced and prosecuted within one year after the cause of action accrues, and not afterward, the following actions:
A.R.S. § 12-541When This Statute Comes Into Play
Estate-related scenarios:
- A beneficiary believes a personal representative defamed them during a contested probate.
- A former employee of a family business claims the estate breached an employment agreement.
- A fiduciary is accused of malicious prosecution after a contested guardianship petition fails.
What This Means for Arizona Families
One year is short. Many of the claims in this section arise from heated family or fiduciary disputes, and the cooling-off period after a probate fight often eats up most of the window. If a personal representative, trustee, or family member has been accused of one of the named torts, the deadline is on the calendar from day one.
If you believe you have been defamed or otherwise harmed by an action covered by this section, do not wait. The one-year deadline runs from the date the claim accrues, and most of these claims accrue on the date of publication or the date the contested decision is made. Our FAQ on removing or replacing a personal representative covers the kind of fight that often produces these claims. An Arizona probate attorney can quickly evaluate whether the underlying conduct fits one of the listed torts and whether the deadline has run. Coordinating with the broader estate dispute matters, because the same facts often produce claims under fiduciary duty theories that have longer deadlines.