Start with the legal question, not a search snippet
Write down the incident date and place, the type of event, every potentially responsible party, and where each party is located. Those facts help a lawyer decide which jurisdiction and body of law to examine. A statute that appears relevant may have definitions, exceptions, or transition provisions elsewhere in the code.
Separate filing periods from notice periods
A statute of limitations is not the only timing rule. A claim involving a city, county, state agency, transit system, school, or other public body may require a separate notice or administrative step. Medical, product, workplace, and wrongful-death claims can also follow specialized rules.
Use primary sources
Read the current text published by the state legislature, then check official court resources for rules and forms. Use the state licensing authority to verify an attorney. Secondary articles can help identify vocabulary, but they should not be the final authority for a deadline.
Record the version and date
Save the URL, section number, effective date, and date you reviewed the material. If an amendment applies only to claims accruing or filed after a particular date, preserve the transition language rather than assuming the newest wording governs every event.
Ask a jurisdiction-specific question
Instead of asking only “What is the deadline?”, ask which cause of action, accrual rule, exception, defendant-specific notice requirement, and choice-of-law rule applies to these facts. A licensed lawyer can turn those questions into advice.