(a) Civil actions shall only be commenced within the periods prescribed below after the cause of action shall have accrued, except when, in special cases, a different limitation is prescribed by statute:
(A) Actions for the recovery of real property, or for the recovery of the possession thereof; and no action shall be maintained for such recovery unless it shall appear that the plaintiff, his ancestor, predecessor, or grantor was seized or possessed of the property in question within twenty years before the commencement of the action.
(B) An action upon a judgment or decree of any court of the United States, or of any State, Commonwealth, or Territory within the United States.
(C) An action upon a sealed instrument.
(A) An action for any cause not otherwise provided for in this section.
(A) An action upon a contract or liability, express or implied, excepting those mentioned in paragraph (1)(C) of this section.
(B) An action upon a liability created by statute, other than a penalty or forfeiture.
(C) An action for waste or trespass upon real property.
(D) An action for taking, detaining, or injuring personal property, including an action for the specific recovery thereof.
(A) An action against a marshal, peace officer or coroner, upon a liability incurred by the doing of an act in his official capacity or in virtue of his office; or by the omission of an official duty, including the nonpayment of money collected upon an execution; but this provision shall not apply to an action for an escape.
(B) An action upon a statute for penalty or forfeiture, where the action is given to the party aggrieved, or to such party and the Government of the Virgin Islands, except where the statute imposing it prescribes a different limitation.
(A) An action for libel, slander, assault, battery, seduction, false imprisonment, or for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising on contract and not herein especially enumerated, or to set aside a sale of real property for non-payment of real property taxes pursuant to Title 33, chapter 89, subchapter III of this Code.
(B) An action upon a statute for a forfeiture or penalty.
(A) An action against the sheriff, peace officer, or other officer for the escape of a person arrested or imprisoned on civil process.
(b) Motion for preference; elderly; medical reasons; time of trial
(1) A party to a civil action who is over 70 years of age or older may petition the court for a preference, which the court shall grant if it finds that the party has a substantial interest in the action as a whole.
(2) A party to a civil action who is over 65 years of age or older may petition the court for a preference, which the court shall grant if the court makes both of the following findings:
(A) The party has a substantial interest in the action as a whole; and
(B) The health of the party is such that a preference is necessary to prevent prejudicing the party’s interest in the litigation.
(3) In its discretion, the court may also grant a motion for preference that is accompanied by clear and convincing medical documentation that concludes that the movant, who is a party, suffers from an illness or condition raising substantial medical doubt of survival of that party beyond six months, and that satisfies the court that the interests of justice will be served by granting the preference.
(4) Upon the granting of such a motion for preference for an elderly party, the court shall set the matter for trial not more than 180 days from that date that the elderly party moves for preference. There shall be no continuance beyond 180 days from the granting of the motion for preference except for physical disability of a party or a party’s attorney, or upon a showing of good cause stated in the record. Any continuance shall be for no more than 30 days and no more than one continuance for physical disability may be granted to any party.
(5) Upon the granting of such a motion for preference for a terminally ill party, the court shall set the matter for trial not more than 90 days from that date that the terminally ill party moves for preference and there shall be no continuance beyond 90 days from the granting of the motion for preference except for a physical disability of a party or a party’s attorney, or upon a showing of good cause stated in the record. Any continuance shall be for no more than 30 days and no more than one continuance for physical disability may be granted to any party.
(6) Unless the court otherwise orders:
(A) A party may file and serve a motion for preference supported by a declaration of the moving party that all essential parties have been served with process or have appeared.
(B) At any time during the pendency of the action, a party who reaches 70 years of age may file and serve a motion for preference.
(C) At any time during the pendency of the action, a party who is diagnosed as terminally ill with less than six (6) months to live may file and serve a motion for preference.