Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535 (2026)

  Effect of other actions and proceedings.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 5535.  Effect of other actions and proceedings.

(a)  Termination of prior matter.--

(1)  If a civil action or proceeding is timely commenced and is terminated, a party, or his successor in interest, may, notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, commence a new action or proceeding upon the same cause of action within one year after the termination and any other party may interpose any defense or claim which might have been interposed in the original action or proceeding.

(2)  Paragraph (1) does not apply to:

(i)  An action to recover damages for injury to the person or for the death of an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect or unlawful violence or negligence of another.

(ii)  An action or proceeding terminated by a voluntary nonsuit, a discontinuance, a dismissal for neglect to prosecute the action or proceeding, or a final judgment upon the merits.

(b)  Stay of matter.--Where the commencement of a civil action or proceeding has been stayed by a court or by statutory prohibition, the duration of the stay is not a part of the time within which the action or proceeding must be commenced.

(c)  Arbitration.--Where it shall have been finally determined by a court that a party is not obligated to submit a claim to arbitration, the time which elapsed between the demand for arbitration and the final determination by a court that there is no obligation to arbitrate is not a part of the time within which a civil action or proceeding upon such claim must be commenced. The time within which the action or proceeding must be commenced shall not be extended by this subsection beyond one year after such final determination by a court.

(Apr. 28, 1978, P.L.202, No.53, eff. 60 days; Oct. 5, 1980, P.L.693, No.142, eff. 60 days)

 

1980 Amendment.  Act 142 amended subsec. (c).

1978 Amendment.  Act 53 amended subsec. (a).

Cross References.  Section 5535 is referred to in section 5103 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 34 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1982–2025 · leading case: Graziani v. Randolph, 856 A.2d 1212 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004).
Graziani v. Randolph, 856 A.2d 1212 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004). · cites it 6× “While Daniels was decided in 1983, its genesis was well before that date and, importantly, preceded the enactment of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535, which specifically tolls the statute of limitations where a "civil action or proceeding has been stayed by a court or by statutory prohibition.”
Schneller v. Crozer Chester Med. Ctr., 387 F. App'x 289 (3rd Cir. 2010). · cites it 2× “3 We also agree that 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535 does not provide a basis for jurisdiction in this case because it specifically excludes actions for damages “for injury to the person or for the death of an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect or unlawful violence or negligence…”
Mariner Chestnut Partners, L.P. Ex Rel. Lamm v. Lenfest, 152 A.3d 265 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “…year after its termination by a disposition other than "a final judgment on the merits” has no application here. See 42 Pa. C.S. § 5535(a)(1).”
Gurfein v. Sovereign Grp., 826 F. Supp. 890 (E.D. Pa. 1993). · cites it 3× “The centerpiece of A-plaintiffs’ argument is their belief that under the Pennsylvania saving clause, 42 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 5535 (1981), 13 they had a grace period of one year in which to refile their action following the dismissal of their New York action without prejudice.”
Huss v. Commonwealth, 512 A.2d 1356 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1986). · cites it 4× “42 Pa. C. S. §5535(a). Exempted from the benefits of the savings clause are personal injury actions and actions terminated by voluntary nonsuit, discontinuance, final judgment on the merits or dismissal for failure to prosecute the matter.”
Cannonball Fund, Ltd. v. Dutchess Capital Mgmt., LLC, 993 N.E.2d 350 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013). “§ 27-2-407 (2011) (excluding “voluntary discontinuance”); 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5535(a)(2)(ii) (West 2004) (excluding “voluntary nonsuit”).”
Hatfield Twp. v. Lexon Ins. Co., 15 A.3d 547 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011). · cites it 2× “*554 The trial court, however, reasoned that the bankruptcy court's orders staying claims against Developer operated to exclude the period of the stays from the statutory limitation period based upon Section 5535(b) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. § 5535(b). Section 5535(b) of…”
InterBusiness Bank, N.A. v. First Nat'l Bank of Mifflintown, 328 F. Supp. 2d 522 (M.D. Penn. 2004). “” 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 5535(b); see also In re Zinchiak, 280 B.”
Norex Petroleum Ltd. v. Blavatnik, 16 N.E.3d 561 (NY 2014). “” Defendants respond that our citation to CPLR 205 in Global Financial was unimportant because “the laws of the foreign jurisdictions referred to under CPLR § 202 (Pennsylvania and *675 Delaware) were virtually identical to CPLR § 205 (a)” (citing Del Code Ann, tit 10, § 8118…”
Charles Furnald v. Anthony Hughes & Emcasco Ins. Co., 804 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 2011). “733); 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5535(a)(2)(h) (West, Westlaw through 2011 Acts 1-75); R.”
CIT Small Bus. Lending Corp. v. Zinchiak (In Re Zinchiak), 280 B.R. 117 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. 2002). · cites it 2× “42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5522(b)(2) (2002 Supp.”
Storch v. Miller, 585 A.2d 1173 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1991). · cites it 3× “Specifically, 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535(c) 3 does not protect the officers’ delay because no court has determined that the officers were not obligated to submit their claims to arbitration.”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(2) — 1 case
Schneller v. Crozer Chester Med. Ctr., 387 F. App'x 289 (3rd Cir. 2010). “3 We also agree that 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535 does not provide a basis for jurisdiction in this case because it specifically excludes actions for damages “for injury to the person or for the death of an individual caused by the wrongful act or neglect or unlawful violence or negligence…”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(a) — 5 cases
Huss v. Commonwealth, 512 A.2d 1356 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1986). “42 Pa. C. S. §5535(a). Exempted from the benefits of the savings clause are personal injury actions and actions terminated by voluntary nonsuit, discontinuance, final judgment on the merits or dismissal for failure to prosecute the matter.”
Kaliner v. Antonoplos (In re DMW Marine, LLC), 509 B.R. 497 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2014).
Jewelcor Inc. v. Karfunkel, 383 F.3d 672 (3rd Cir. 2008).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(a)(1) — 4 cases
Mariner Chestnut Partners, L.P. Ex Rel. Lamm v. Lenfest, 152 A.3d 265 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “…year after its termination by a disposition other than "a final judgment on the merits” has no application here. See 42 Pa. C.S. § 5535(a)(1).”
Gold Line, Inc. v. Ourbus, Inc. (M.D. Penn. 2022).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(a)(2) — 1 case
Huss v. Commonwealth, 512 A.2d 1356 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1986). “42 Pa. C. S. §5535(a). Exempted from the benefits of the savings clause are personal injury actions and actions terminated by voluntary nonsuit, discontinuance, final judgment on the merits or dismissal for failure to prosecute the matter.”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(a)(2)(h) — 2 cases
Charles Furnald v. Anthony Hughes & Emcasco Ins. Co., 804 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 2011). “733); 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5535(a)(2)(h) (West, Westlaw through 2011 Acts 1-75); R.”
Jewelcor Inc. v. Karfunkel, 383 F.3d 672 (3rd Cir. 2008).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(a)(2)(ii) — 1 case
Cannonball Fund, Ltd. v. Dutchess Capital Mgmt., LLC, 993 N.E.2d 350 (Mass. App. Ct. 2013). “§ 27-2-407 (2011) (excluding “voluntary discontinuance”); 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5535(a)(2)(ii) (West 2004) (excluding “voluntary nonsuit”).”
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(b) — 11 cases
Graziani v. Randolph, 856 A.2d 1212 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2004). “While Daniels was decided in 1983, its genesis was well before that date and, importantly, preceded the enactment of 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535, which specifically tolls the statute of limitations where a "civil action or proceeding has been stayed by a court or by statutory prohibition.”
Hatfield Twp. v. Lexon Ins. Co., 15 A.3d 547 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011). “*554 The trial court, however, reasoned that the bankruptcy court's orders staying claims against Developer operated to exclude the period of the stays from the statutory limitation period based upon Section 5535(b) of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa. C.S. § 5535(b). Section 5535(b) of…”
InterBusiness Bank, N.A. v. First Nat'l Bank of Mifflintown, 328 F. Supp. 2d 522 (M.D. Penn. 2004). “” 42 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 5535(b); see also In re Zinchiak, 280 B.”
CIT Small Bus. Lending Corp. v. Zinchiak (In Re Zinchiak), 280 B.R. 117 (Bankr. W.D. Pa. 2002). “42 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5522(b)(2) (2002 Supp.”
Panzella v. Hills Stores Co., 171 B.R. 22 (E.D. Pa. 1994).
— 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5535(c) — 2 cases
Storch v. Miller, 585 A.2d 1173 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1991). “Specifically, 42 Pa.C.S. § 5535(c) 3 does not protect the officers’ delay because no court has determined that the officers were not obligated to submit their claims to arbitration.”
Abernethy v. Williams, 584 A.2d 1085 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1990).
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