Opinion ID: 2617624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: The Limitation Period for Abuse of Process

Text: Because the tort of abuse of process is not included eo nomine among the delicts enumerated in 12 O.S. 1991 § 95(4) [52]  those which are governed by a one-year time bar  it falls within the unenumerated class for which a two-year limitation period is provided by 12 O.S. 1991 § 95(3). [53] At the time § 95(4) was enacted the torts of malicious prosecution and abuse of process both were known to the common law of Oklahoma as distinct delicts; yet, abuse of process is not included among the actions governed by the one-year statutory time bar. Based upon the time-honored canon of construction known by the Latin phrase of expressio unius est exclusio alterius, [54] we conclude that the legislature intended to exclude abuse of process from the class of torts for which a one-year limitation was established.