Alma Faye Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of the Firemen, Policemen & Fire Alarm Operators' Pension Fund of Dallas, Texas, & City of Dallas, 968 F.2d 489 (5th Cir. 1992). · Go Syfert
Alma Faye Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of the Firemen, Policemen & Fire Alarm Operators' Pension Fund of Dallas, Texas, & City of Dallas, 968 F.2d 489 (5th Cir. 1992). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
89 citation events (70 in the last 25 years) across 15 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Stephanie Bowering Nowlin v. Tamala King, ET AL. (mssd, 2026-04-13)
Treatment trajectory · 1993 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1993 2009 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 43 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Stephanie Bowering Nowlin v. Tamala King, ET AL.
S.D. Miss. · 2026 · confidence medium
And “[u]nder federal law, the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that [she] has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that [she] has been injured.’” Russell v. Bd. of Trs., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992) (quoting Rodriguez v. Holmes, 963 F.2d 799, 802 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Shelby Hammer, et al. v. Laura Nodolf, et al.
W.D. Tex. · 2025 · confidence medium
The Fifth Circuit has long held that “the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 51 F.3d 512, 516 (5th Cir. 1995) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Tr., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992), which in turn quotes Helton v. Clements, 832 F.2d 332, 335 (5th Cir. 1987)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Shelby Ann Anders v. The Town of Franklinton, et al.
E.D. La. · 2025 · confidence medium
Doc. 11-1 at 10. 28 Id. 29 Id. at 10–11. 30 Id. at 11 . 31 Id. under those statutes “borrow the analogous state law prescriptive period.”32 Defendants claim that the statute of limitations for a Section 1983 claim begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.”33 Defendants argue that Plaintiff must have been aware of “her claims of detention pursuant to warrantless arrest at the moment it occurred.”34 Hence, Defendants posit that because Plaintiff was arrested on May 1, 2024, an…
cited Cited as authority (rule) Reed v. Goertz
5th Cir. · 2025 · confidence medium
Id. at 431 (applying Russell v. Bd. of Trs., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bays v. New Braunfels Police Department
W.D. Tex. · 2025 · confidence medium
Jones v. Alcoa, Inc., 339 F.3d 359, 366 (5th Cir. 2003). i. Section 1983 Claims The statute of limitations for causes of action brought under § 1983 in Texas federal courts is two years, and it generally begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that [she] has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that she has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Williams v. Austin Police Dept
5th Cir. · 2025 · confidence medium
Thus, a statute of limitations “begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 51 F.3d 512, 516 (5th Cir. 1995) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trs., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Vela v. Compton
5th Cir. · 2024 · confidence medium
Thus, a statute of limitations “begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 51 F.3d 512, 516 (5th Cir. 1995) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trs., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hobson v. DPD
N.D. Tex. · 2024 · confidence medium
Under Fifth Circuit law, “the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” See Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Coomer v. Roth
5th Cir. · 2024 · confidence medium
So, limitations “begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 51 F.3d 512, 516 (5th Cir. 1995) (quoting Russell v. Board of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Davis v. Warren
E.D. Tex. · 2024 · confidence medium
Under Fifth Circuit law, “the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an in- jury or has sufficient information to know that he has been in- jured.’” See Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Wells v. East Baton Rouge School System
M.D. La. · 2024 · confidence medium
Before Wells filed his Amended Complaint, the Court gave Wells specific instructions regarding what the Amended Complaint needed to say to 84 Piotrowski, 237 F.3d at 576 , quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992) (internal quotation removed). 85 R.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) McGaughy v. Fordice
N.D. Miss. · 2024 · confidence medium
Under federal law, a Section 1983 claim accrues, and the limitations period begins to run, “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (citing Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) San Miguel v. McLane
5th Cir. · 2024 · confidence medium
Code § 16.003(a); Pete v. Metcalfe, 8 F.3d 214, 217 (5th Cir. 1993). 67 Wallace, 549 U.S. at 388 . 68 Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)). 22 Case: 22-10517 Document: 115-1 Page: 23 Date Filed: 02/23/2024 No. 22-10517 January 2018.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Wilburn v. Cain
N.D. Miss. · 2022 · confidence medium
Under federal law, a Section 1983 claim accrues, and the limitations period begins to run, “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (citing Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Washington v. D. Miles Brissette
N.D. Tex. · 2022 · confidence medium
The limitation period for a § 1983 claim begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (Piotrowski II) (citing Russell v. Board of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Giroir v. LeBlanc
M.D. La. · 2022 · confidence medium
“Under federal law, the limitations period begins to run the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski, 237 F.3d at 576 (internal quotation marks and brackets omitted) (citing Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)). 2.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Mull v. Houston Independent School District
S.D. Tex. · 2021 · confidence medium
Thus, a plaintiff has two years from “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know he has been injured.” Russel v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (Sth Cir. 1992).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Alexander v. Lafayette
W.D. La. · 2021 · confidence medium
Dist., 803 F.3d 754, 758 (5th Cir. 2015) (citation omitted). ® See Lavellee v. Listi, 611 F.2d 1129 (Sth Cir.1980) 80 Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (Sth Cir. 1992). 831 Wallace v. Kato, 549 U.S. 384, 397 (2007). 82 Humphreys v. City of Ganado, 467 Fed.Appx. 252, 255-56 (5th Cir. 2012) (citing Hitt v. Connell, 301 F.3d 240, 246 (Sth Cir. 2002). 83 Td. at 389. 84 Td. 14 trial.”®> Defendants contend that dismissal under Rule 4(m) for untimely service amounts to abandonment and that, as a result, the applicable limitations period was never interrupted.*° This argument fails be…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Rushing v. Yazoo County (2×) also: Cited "see"
5th Cir. · 2021 · confidence medium
Under our precedent, a § 1983 claim accrues, and the limitations period begins to run, “‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Russell v. Bd. of Trs., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992) (quoting Rodriguez v. Holmes, 963 F.2d 799, 803 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Reed v. Goertz (2×) also: Cited "see"
5th Cir. · 2021 · confidence medium
However, we have explained that that the limitations period for a § 1983 claim “begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware the he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992) (quoting Rodriguez v. Holmes, 963 F.2d 799, 803 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Staton v. Boggs
N.D. Miss. · 2021 · confidence medium
Under federal law, a Section 1983 claim accrues, and the limitations period begins to run, “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (citing Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ward v. Choate
E.D. Tex. · 2020 · confidence medium
A claim accrues “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir. 2001) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Barnes v. Collier
W.D. Tex. · 2019 · confidence medium
“Under federal law, the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’ ” Russell v. Board of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) DeJenay Beckwith v. City of Houston
5th Cir. · 2019 · confidence medium
Accrual of a § 1983 claim is governed by federal law. “‘Under federal law, the [limitations] period begins to run the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that [s]he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that [s]he has been injured.’” Walker v. Epps, 550 F.3d 407, 414 (5th Cir. 2008) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of the Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Matthew Heslep v. Rick Thaler
5th Cir. · 2017 · confidence medium
An action accrues “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of the Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)), Heslep concedes that he “had reason to know of the injury which is the basis of this claim on July 2, 2011,” the same date used by the district court as starting the limitations period.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Matthew Heslep v. Rick Thaler
5th Cir. · 2017 · confidence medium
An action accrues “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of the Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Meyer v. Coffey
N.D. Tex. · 2017 · confidence medium
Unlike the limitations period itself, “[ajccrual of a § 1983 claim is governed by federal law: ‘Under federal law, the limitations period begins to run the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’” Id. (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 498 (5th Cir. 1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Harold Black v. Susan Griffin
5th Cir. · 2016 · confidence medium
“Under federal law, the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’ ” Id. (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) A.W. v. Humble Independent School District
S.D. Tex. · 2014 · confidence medium
The Fifth Circuit has held that in civil rights cases, a cause of action accrues, and the limitations period begins to run, “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’ ” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir.2001) (quoting Russell v. Board of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ogletree v. GLEN ROSE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Tex. App. · 2010 · confidence medium
Accrual of a § 1983 claim is governed by federal law: “Under federal law, the [limitations] period begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’ ” Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992) (quoting Helton v. Clements, 832 F.2d 332, 335 (5th Cir.1987)), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 914 , 113 S.Ct. 1266 , 122 L.Ed.2d 662 (1993).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Walker v. Epps
5th Cir. · 2008 · confidence medium
As we ourselves have stated, the limitations period begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski v. City of Houston, 237 F.3d 567, 576 (5th Cir.2001) (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 914 , 113 S.Ct. 1266 , 122 L.Ed.2d 662 (1993)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) King v. St of LA Dept of Pub
5th Cir. · 2008 · confidence medium
Federal law determines the time at which the cause of action accrues, and dictates that the statute of limitations here begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Piotrowski, 237 F.3d at 576 (quoting Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Ortega v. Housing Authority of City of Brownsville
S.D. Tex. · 2008 · confidence medium
A. Commencement of the Statute of Limitations “Under federal law, the [time] begins to run ‘the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.’ ” Russell v. Bd. of Trustees, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992) (quoting Helton v. Clements, 832 F.2d 332, 335 (5th Cir.1987)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Walker v. Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers
D.D.C. · 2006 · confidence medium
Co., 252 F.Supp.2d *110 336, 345-46 (E.D.Tex.2003) (citing Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992)); Potter v. ICI Americas Inc., 103 F.Supp.2d 1062, 1074 (S.D.Ind.1999) (citing Teumer v. Gen.
examined Cited as authority (rule) Miele v. Pension Plan of New York State Teamsters Conference Pension & Retirement Fund (3×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
E.D.N.Y · 1999 · signal: cf. · confidence medium
See Ariadne, 133 F.3d at 879 ; Brown Park Estates-Fairfield Development Co. v. United States, 127 F.3d 1449, 1456 (Fed.Cir.1997); cf. Russell, 968 F.2d at 493 (continuing claim doctrine inapplicable if “original ... act ha[d] the degree of permanence that should trigger the claimant’s awareness of and duty to assert her rights”).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Reed v. Prudential Securities Inc.
S.D. Tex. · 1995 · confidence medium
Kansa Reinsurance Co., Ltd. v. Congressional Mortgage Corp., 20 F.3d 1362, 1374 (5th Cir.1994); FDIC v. Dawson, 4 F.3d 1303, 1307 (5th Cir.1993), cert. denied, — U.S. —, 114 S.Ct. 2673 , 129 L.Ed.2d 809 (1994); Russell v. Board of Trustees of Firemen, Policemen & Fire Alarm Operators’ Pension Fund, 968 F.2d 489, 492-93 (5th Cir.1992); Hoover v. Gregory, 835 S.W.2d 668, 676 (Tex.App.— Dallas 1992, writ denied); Russell v. Campbell, 725 S.W.2d 739, 744 (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1987, writ ref d n.r.e.).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Engelberg v. Hull-Daisetta Independent School District
E.D. Tex. · 1994 · confidence medium
Russell v. Board of Trustees of Firemen et al., 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992), cert. denied, - U.S. -, 113 S.Ct. 1266 , 122 L.Ed.2d 662 (1993).
discussed Cited "see" Berry v. Allstate Insurance
5th Cir. · 2004 · signal: see · confidence high
See Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493-94 (5th Cir.1992) *445 (“The Board’s act of terminating of Russell’s benefits upon remarriage was not revisited after her divorce, it was accomplished only once.
discussed Cited "see" Berry v. Allstate Insurance
E.D. Tex. · 2003 · signal: see · confidence high
See Russell v. Bd. of Trs. of Firemen, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992) (holding continuing violation exception did not apply when widow’s benefits were terminated because widow was fully aware she would lose her benefits upon remarriage); Frazier v. Garrison I.S.D., 980 F.2d 1514, 1521-22 (5th Cir.1993) (holding continuing violation exception did not apply when teachers did not set forth facts indicating the alleged racial discrimination was hidden or not apparent when they were discharged).
cited Cited "see" In Re Stephen J. Mcdonald
3rd Cir. · 2000 · signal: see · confidence high
See In re Nobelman, 968 F.2d 489, 488 (5th Cir. 1992).
discussed Cited "see" Wagner v. TEXAS a & M UNIVERSITY
S.D. Tex. · 1996 · signal: see · confidence high
See Russell v. Board of Trustees of Firemen, Policemen & Fire Alarm Operators’ Pension Fund, 968 F.2d 489, 492 (5th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 507 U.S. 914 , 113 S.Ct. 1266 , 122 L.Ed.2d 662 (1993); Rodriguez, 963 F.2d at 803 ; Jackson v. Johnson, 950 F.2d 263, 265 (5th Cir.1992); Burrell, 883 F.2d at 418; Helton, 832 F.2d at 334 .
cited Cited "see" Leonard v. Sieler
10th Cir. · 1994 · signal: see · confidence high
See Russell v. Board of Trustees of Firemen, Policemen & Fire Alarm Operators' Pension Fund, 968 F.2d 489, 493 (5th Cir.1992), cert. denied, 113 S.Ct. 1266 (1993).
cited Cited "see" Kansa Reinsurance Co., Ltd. v. Congressional Mortg. Corp. of Texas
5th Cir. · 1994 · signal: see · confidence high
See Russell v. Board of Trustees of the Firemen, Policemen and Fire Alarm Operators’ Pension Fund, 968 F.2d 489, 492-93 (5th Cir.1992), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 113 S.Ct. 1266 , 122 L.Ed.2d 662 (1993).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Alma Faye RUSSELL, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FIREMEN, POLICEMEN AND FIRE ALARM OPERATORS’ PENSION FUND OF DALLAS, TEXAS, and City of Dallas, Defendants-Appellees
91-1843.
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Sep 10, 1992.
968 F.2d 489
Barbara R. Hunt, Dallas, Tex., for plaintiff-appellant., Laura L. Noe, Asst. City Atty., Houston Madison Smith, Asst. City Atty., Dallas, Tex., for City of Dallas., John Koepke, Harvey Goldwater Joseph, Gary B. Lawson, Godwin, Carlton & Maxwell, Dallas, Tex., for Bd. of Trustees.
Garwood, Demoss, Little.
Cited by 69 opinions  |  Published
LITTLE, District Judge:

The widow of a deceased Dallas, Texas fireman seeks to have her terminated pension benefits restored. Thwarted in that endeavor by the district court’s granting of summary judgments in favor of the trustees of the pension plan and the City of Dallas, the widow has appealed to this court. Finding no infirmity in the District Court’s opinions, we AFFIRM the decisions for the following reasons.

I.FACTS

The facts of consequence are not in dispute. In 1976, Robert G. Russell retired from the Dallas, Texas Fire Department. Russell’s years of service afforded him retirement benefits as provided by the Firemen, Policemen, and Fire Alarm Operators’ Pension Fund (the Fund), Plan B (or the Plan). [2] The benefits survived Mr. Russell’s demise in 1981. Those benefits, in accordance with the Plan, were visited upon his widow, Alma Faye Russell.

The benefits terminated, again in accordance with the Plan provisions, when Alma Faye Russell remarried on 26 April 1986. The marriage ran aground and ended in divorce on 31 March 1988. [3] In February 1988, Russell sought reinstatement of Plan benefits reasoning that, upon divorce, she would reacquire widow status. The Board of Trustees (the Board) refused to reinstate Russell because the Plan specifically provided that benefits ceased upon her remarriage in 1986. According to the Plan, reinstatement was not authorized due to divorce from or death of the subsequent spouse.

In April 1988, the extant members of the Pension Plan voted on a proposed Plan amendment. The voting was conducted by a written response to a written ballot. There is no dispute as to the language of the official ballot disseminated in the spring of 1988.

Voting instructions to members of the Police and Fire Pension Fund:
1. You must vote at your regularly assigned work location.
2. Sign the voter registration.
3. Vote INDIVIDUALLY on EACH amendment.
4. After voting, sign the ballot on the detachable part, detach at the perforation, and give it to the person that is in charge of the ballot box.
5. Place your ballot in the ballot box provided. These changes are authorized in each instance by either Section 11A and/or Section 11B of Article 6243a of the Revised Civil Status of the State of Texas, as amended, and will be incorporated into each Plan respectively, if passed by a majority of the Fund’s active membership. The results will be officially canvassed and announced by the Police and Fire Pension Board at the April, 1988 Board meeting....
6. Amendment to provide the continuation of a surviving spouse’s benefit for the surviving spouse’s life, regardless of remarriage. Effective on [*492] the date the Board certifies the election results' (April Board meeting) for all surviving spouses receiving benefits on that date, and all future recipients. (Emphasis supplied).

The landslide election results in favor of Plan amendment were unanimously certified by the Board on 21 April 1988, the date the amendment became effective. The plan, after the amendment, provided, in part.

(d) Survivor benefits shall be paid to all qualified survivors. of members of this pension, subject to the following conditions:
(1) The qualified surviving spouse of the member shall be eligible to receive benefits for the remainder of such survivor’s life.

By virtue of the April amendment, survivors’ benefits would terminate on death only. Thus, termination by the first to occur of death or remarriage became a passé standard.

Russell urged the Board that this new provision opened the door for her reinstatement. Her request for, reinstatement, premised on the terms of the amendment, was denied as she was not in the category of individuals to whom expanded benefits were accorded, i.e. only those survivors receiving benefits would continue to receive benefits in the event of remarriage. Russell was not receiving benefits at the time of plan amendment and therefore she was not entitled to the expanded benefits.

Russell filed suit against the Board and the City of Dallas on 11 May 1990. Both defendants were dismissed by the district court after granting the summary judgment motion filed by each. The appeal we consider today was filed by Russell. We will address the appellant’s complaints in serial fashion.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review the district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same standard applied by the district court. Wilson v. Job, Inc., 958 F.2d 653, 656 (5th Cir.1992). Hence, summary judgment will be proper if “there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c).

Contrary to the assertions of appellant, the Plan is not controlled by the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Rather, this is a “government plan” that' is maintained exclusively for Dallas city employees and is specifically exempt from ERISA. 29 U.S.C. § 1002(32). Appellant’s suggestion that we should follow the Supreme Court’s dictate for review of ERISA plans is therefore rejected.

III. ANALYSIS

The judgment of the district court bisected Russell’s complaints into distinct categories: those complaints as to the Plan conditions prior to the 1988 amendment, and those- complaints as to the Plan conditions subsequent to the 1988 Plan amendment. We will follow the district court’s methodology.

A. Appellant’s Pre-1988 Complaints.

Essentially, Russell’s pre-1988 complaints center around the Plan requirement that one must retain the status of a widow or widower to draw continuously benefits from the Plan. More plainly, Russell claims that the Plan provision was an unlawful restraint on remarriage, violative of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the 14th amendment, and was contrary to public policy. Additionally, she alleges breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty causes of action.

Russell did not bring her claim until more than four years after the termination of her benefits. As is well established, the prescriptive period applicable to a § 1983 claim involving an action by a Texas domiciliary is governed by the applicable Texas statute of limitations concerning torts. Jackson v. Johnson, 950 F.2d 263, 265 (5th Cir.1992). Moreover, appellant’s complaints founded upon violations of the state and federal constitutions and the public policy of the United States and Texas, as well as the allegations of a breach of fiduciary duty, are also governed by the tort[*493] statute. A two year period is the applicable Texas statute. Tex.Civ.Prac. & Rem. § 16.003.

Although Texas law mandates the limitation period and tolling rules, federal law will dictate when a cause of action arises. Jackson, 950 F.2d at 265. Under federal law, the period begins to run “the moment the plaintiff becomes aware that he has suffered an injury or has sufficient information to know that he has been injured.” Rodriguez v. Holmes, 963 F.2d 799, 803 (5th Cir.1992) (quoting Helton v. Clements, 832 F.2d 332, 335 (5th Cir.1987)).

Russell was fully aware that she would lose her benefits after she remarried. The correspondence sent by Russell to the Board just prior to her remarriage reveals that Russell undoubtedly knew her benefits would terminate upon remarriage. [4] Pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, she ceased to be a Plan participant on 26 April 1986, the date of her remarriage. In federal cases, the applicable statute of limitations is not tolled until the plaintiffs complaint is received by the court clerk. Martin v. Demma, 831 F.2d 69, 71 (5th Cir.1987); Fed.R.Civ.P. 3. Thus, any complaint by appellant as to § 1983 violations, constitutional violations, public policy violations, misrepresentation or fiduciary duty violations concerning the denial of benefits upon a surviving spouse’s remarriage accrued on the date of remarriage and would have expired more than two years prior to the filing of her suit on 11 May 1990.

Applying the same date of accrual, Russell’s breach of contract allegations are also barred by the applicable limitation statute. The only possible breach would have occurred when the Board failed to pay Russell under the plan. Contracts are governed by a four year statute of limitations. Tex.Civ.Pract. & Rem.Code § 16.004. Russell did not commence her action by the 26 April 1990 deadline, and is therefore precluded by the limitations statute.

Appellant describes the trustee’s failure to pay each monthly benefit as a continuing violation that suspends the running of the statute of limitations until the payments are restored. Appellant’s reliance on a continuing tort is misplaced. The test to be applied in analyzing the problem is that emanating from Lorance v. AT & T Technologies, Inc., 490 U.S. 900, 109 S.Ct. 2261, 104 L.Ed.2d 961 (1989), and summarized by this circuit in Hendrix v. Yazoo City, 911 F.2d 1102 (5th Cir.1990):

As Lorance makes clear, the distinction does not turn on the type of discrimination, but on whether the practice at issue is part of or a repetition of a past discriminatory act, in which case there is a continuing violation, or whether it is facially neutral, simply giving effect to prior discrimination, in which case there is no continuing violation.

Id. at 1104. Put succinctly, the question is: did the original discriminatory act have the degree of permanence that should trigger the claimant’s awareness of and duty to assert her rights. Berry v. Board of Supervisors of L.S.U., 715 F.2d 971, 981 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 868, 107 S.Ct. 232, 93 L.Ed.2d 158 (1986).

As we have said, the discriminatory act was the termination of benefits due to claimant’s remarriage. We have also recognized that appellant was unquestionably aware that her remarriage would and did sever her benefits. Her duty to assert any remaining rights in the Plan commenced on the date she stopped receiving checks. Yet, she took no action after the checks stopped. It was not until she had filed for divorce that Russell decided to “reapply” for benefits — apparently in the mistaken belief that her return to widow status would qualify her for reinstatement. On the basis of the unambiguous terms of the Plan, the Board declined to reinstate appellant. The Board’s act of terminating of Russell’s benefits upon remarriage was not[*494] revisited after her divorce, it was accomplished only once. Clearly, this is not a case involving a continuous tort.

B. Appellant’s Post-1988 Complaints.

Russell reasons that she is a qualified surviving spouse (married to the member at the time of the member’s death) and that the Plan B language,, as amended on 26 April 1988, afforded her entitlement to benefits after that date. Again, we disagree.

No fair reading of the either the Plan B amendment or the ballot could result in a conclusion that the amendment was applicable to anyone other than a surviving spouse receiving benefits on the effective date of plan amendment, i.e., 21 April 1988. Not only does the ballot itself specifically exclude benefits to those surviving spouses not receiving benefits as of the effective date, but the applicable Texas law requires a prospective application of the language creating plan amendment. Under Texas law, “[a] statute is presumed to be prospective in its operation unless expressly made retroactive.” Tex.Gov’t.Code Ann. § 311.022 (Vernon 1988). It follows, of course, that amendments are. also presumed not to apply retroactively. Skoczylas v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, 961 F.2d 543, 554 (5th Cir.1992); Houston Indep. School Dist. v. Houston Chronicle Pub. Company, 798 S.W.2d 580, 585 (Tex.App.1990, writ denied).

Plain and simple, the clear language of the ballot expanded the class of beneficiaries only to those spouses receiving benefits as of 22 April. 1988. To read the language more broadly would lead to absurd and unintended consequences. Because we find no issue as to any material fact as to whether Russell was retroactively covered by the Plan B amendment, it is unnecessary to consider the district court’s holding that appellant lacked standing to challenge the post amendment actions of the Board.

IV. CONCLUSION

The district court did not err in' granting summary judgment against appellant on all issues. Were we to rule in favor of appellant on any issue, we may have had to consider the validity pf the dismissal of the City of Dallas by the district court. We need not consider the liability of the City of Dallas as we have affirmed the district court’s determination that there was no genuine issue as to any material fact that plaintiff’s rights as a beneficiary in the Plan terminated on 26 April 1986 and that all possible causes of action have prescribed,

The summary judgments are AFFIRMED.

2

. Plan B is an uncodified pension plan that was created in 1973 by the voting members of the Fund. Plan B’s creation was authorized by Section 1 IB of the former Texas Revised Civil Statutes, Article 6243a, which allowed Fund members to create a separate pension plan by comprehensive amendment to the provisions contained in the statute. Prior to the creation of Plan B, two other separate pension plans, the "Old Pension Plan” and "Plan A,” existed independently from, but under the authorization of, former Article 6243a.

On 14 June 1989, the Texas legislature enacted Article 6243a-l, the successor statute to Article 6243a. Labeled the "Combined Pension Plan,” the new statute was intended to combine the Old Pension Plan and Plan A into one comprehensive plan. However, the vitality of Plan B was not threatened by the new statute, the sole purpose of which was to combine the two older pension plans. Hence, Plan B remains as a separate and uncodified pension plan, unaffected by the terms of the Combined Pension Plan.

3

. The appellant apparently reacquired the surname of Russell as a result of the divorce decree.

4

. In a letter to the Board dated 9 April 1986, Russell wrote:

I’m planning to get married April 26, 1986. I want to let you know in advance so you can make the final check correct and won’t have to be returned, etc. (emphasis added)