N.Y. Civil Practice Law & Rules § 211: Actions to be commenced within twenty years

§ 211. Actions to be commenced within twenty years. (a) On a bond. An

action to recover principal or interest upon a written instrument

evidencing an indebtedness of the state of New York or of any person,

association or public or private corporation, originally sold by the

issuer after publication of an advertisement for bids for the issue in

electronic or physical form and secured only by a pledge of the faith

and credit of the issuer, regardless of whether a sinking fund is or may

be established for its redemption, must be commenced within twenty years

after the cause of action accrues. This subdivision does not apply to

actions upon written instruments evidencing an indebtedness of any

corporation, association or person under the jurisdiction of the public

service commission, the commissioner of transportation, the interstate

commerce commission, the federal communications commission, the civil

aeronautics board, the federal power commission, or any other regulatory

commission or board of a state or of the federal government. This

subdivision applies to all causes of action, including those barred on

April eighteenth, nineteen hundred fifty, by the provisions of the civil

practice act then effective.

(b) On a money judgment. A money judgment is presumed to be paid and

satisfied after the expiration of twenty years from the time when the

party recovering it was first entitled to enforce it. This presumption

is conclusive, except as against a person who within the twenty years

acknowledges an indebtedness, or makes a payment, of all or part of the

amount recovered by the judgment, or his heir or personal

representative, or a person whom he otherwise represents. Such an

acknowledgment must be in writing and signed by the person to be

charged. Property acquired by an enforcement order or by levy upon an

execution is a payment, unless the person to be charged shows that it

did not include property claimed by him. If such an acknowledgment or

payment is made, the judgment is conclusively presumed to be paid and

satisfied as against any person after the expiration of twenty years

after the last acknowledgment or payment made by him. The presumption

created by this subdivision may be availed of under an allegation that

the action was not commenced within the time limited.

(c) By state for real property. The state will not sue a person for or

with respect to real property, or the rents or profits thereof, by

reason of the right or title of the state to the same, unless the cause

of action accrued, or the state, or those from whom it claims, have

received the rents and profits of the real property or of some part

thereof, within twenty years before the commencement of the action.

(d) By grantee of state for real property. An action shall not be

commenced for or with respect to real property by a person claiming by

virtue of letters patent or a grant from the state, unless it might have

been maintained by the state, as prescribed in this section, if the

patent or grant had not been issued or made.

(e) For support, alimony or maintenance. An action or proceeding to

enforce any temporary order, permanent order or judgment of any court of

competent jurisdiction which awards support, alimony or maintenance,

regardless of whether or not arrears have been reduced to a money

judgment, must be commenced within twenty years from the date of a

default in payment. This section shall only apply to orders which have

been entered subsequent to the date upon which this section shall become

effective.