What This Statute Says
Statutes of limitations get amended regularly. When that happens, this section answers the question every probate lawyer asks first: which deadline applies to claims that already exist?
A. An action barred by pre-existing law is not revived by amendment of such law enlarging the time in which such action may be commenced.
A.R.S. § 12-505When This Statute Comes Into Play
Three patterns:
- A claim is already time-barred under the old law. A new amendment extends the deadline. The barred claim is not revived.
- A claim is still alive under the old law. A new amendment changes the period. The new period applies.
- A new amendment shortens the deadline so much that the period would already be expired. The claimant gets a reasonable transition window.
What This Means for Arizona Families
Arizona has updated its probate and estate statutes many times. When the legislature changes a deadline, this section is the road map for figuring out which version of the law applies. That matters for creditor claims against estates, claims against fiduciaries, and almost any probate dispute that has aged.
If you are dealing with a claim that arose before a recent change, do not assume the new deadline governs. A claim that was already too late under the old law stays too late even if the legislature later extends the period. Conversely, a live claim under the old rules typically gets the benefit of the new period. Our FAQ on creditor claim deadlines in Arizona probate explains current rules. The interaction between the general limitations chapter and the more specific probate nonclaim deadlines can be tricky, and a short consultation with an Arizona probate attorney is the safest way to know which clock applies to your estate matter.