---
title: "The critical-dates register: how a small firm records limitation dates so none are missed"
url: https://thematteros.com/blog/limitations-and-critical-dates-register-for-small-firms
updated: 2026-10-27
author: Raghav Handa
---

# The critical-dates register: how a small firm records limitation dates so none are missed

To track statute of limitations dates, keep one critical-dates register with a row per date: matter, the date, the rule or basis you calculated it from, who calculated it, who checked it, and its reminders. Show each date in at least two independent places, and have a second person confirm the calculation. This is organisational information, not legal advice.

## Key takeaways

- Missed deadlines are repeatedly named as a leading source of malpractice claims by lawyers' insurers.
- A register is only as good as the calculation: record the basis and have a second person verify it.
- Redundancy means independent surfaces, not two copies in the same tool.
- MatterOS records and surfaces dates; it does not calculate limitation periods or court deadlines.

## What is a critical-dates register?

A critical-dates register is a single list of the dates that would cause serious harm if missed, kept separately from ordinary task due dates. For a small firm that means limitation or prescription dates, court or tribunal dates already issued, and contractual or regulatory cut-offs. Last reviewed: 30 October 2026.

This is general information, not legal advice. Limitation periods, how they are calculated and what extends or tolls them differ by jurisdiction and claim type; check the applicable law and your regulator's and insurer's guidance. Nothing here should be used to calculate a date.

The case for a register is practical. Lawyers Mutual of North Carolina says missed deadlines remain the top source of its claims, and that list includes limitation periods. The point is not to frighten but to explain why a dedicated register earns its keep.


## Which fields belong in the register?

| Field | Why it exists |
| --- | --- |
| Matter and client | Links the date to the record the work is in |
| Date and type (limitation, court, contractual) | Lets you filter the register by seriousness |
| Triggering event and its date | The calculation starts here; the date alone is not enough |
| Basis | The rule or provision you relied on, as a reference you can re-check |
| Calculated by, and date | Accountability for the number |
| Verified by, and date | A second person confirmed the calculation independently |
| Status (provisional, verified, superseded) | A provisional date is better recorded and marked than not recorded |
| Reminder schedule | Which ticklers exist and where they live |
| Action taken and date | Evidence that the date was met and by what |

Do not copy rule numbers into the basis field from memory. Record where you found the rule so a reviewer can open it.


## What does independent redundancy mean?

Two copies of a date in the same system fail together. Redundancy means surfaces that fail independently: for example the matter record, a separate calendar, and a periodic printed or exported list reviewed by a person. A Lawyers Mutual-derived calendar and docket toolkit, quoted on its blog, supports using redundancy, and a LawToolBox guide also lists calendaring and reminder redundancy as a recommended practice. We could not confirm the common claim that insurers universally require two systems, so check your own insurer's terms.

| Surface | What it does | Typical failure |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Matter record and register (Notion) | The authoritative list with basis and verifier | Not opened until it is too late |
| Calendar with alerts | Pushes the date to a person's day | Entered once from memory and never checked |
| Periodic list reviewed in a meeting | A human looks at all open dates | Skipped when busy |


## How should reminders and review work?

Ticklers are graduated reminders before a date. One published template practice sets reminders at 90, 30 and 7 days before; Tallyfy's and Manifestly's checklists are examples. Treat that as a practice example, not a rule, and set your own intervals for how long your work takes.

1. Record at intake: Add every known date to the register on day one, marked provisional if unverified.
2. Calculate once, show your working: Write the trigger, the period and the basis in the register.
3. Verify independently: A second lawyer or the supervising lawyer recalculates without looking at the first answer, then compares.
4. Create reminders on two surfaces: Matter actions and a separate calendar.
5. Review weekly: Read the next 60 days of the register in the weekly matter review.
6. Close the loop: Record the action taken, so the date leaves the register only when met or superseded.


## What does a worked example look like?

This example is hypothetical: assume a claim where the applicable period is three years from the event, you have confirmed it from the relevant rule, and the event occurred on 14 March 2024. The limitation date would be 14 March 2027. If your ticklers are 90, 30 and 7 days before, they fall on:

| Reminder | Calculation | Date |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 90 days before | 14 March 2027 minus 90 days | 14 December 2026 |
| 30 days before | 14 March 2027 minus 30 days | 12 February 2027 |
| 7 days before | 14 March 2027 minus 7 days | 7 March 2027 |

In a real matter the period, the triggering event and any extension depend on the law and facts, which is why the register records the basis and a verifier rather than a bare date. Where the trigger is uncertain, record the earliest plausible date as provisional and diarise the work to resolve it.


## Where does MatterOS fit?

We make MatterOS, so weigh this accordingly. In MatterOS, each action has an owner, a due date, a matter and a consequence-if-missed field, so a critical date can be an action with the highest consequence rating, and the register above can be a filtered view of the Actions database. Add the basis, verifier and status as properties. A docket-check prompt in Notion AI can list actions due soon, and you verify the answer against the view.

MatterOS does not calculate limitation periods or court deadlines, send reminders on its own, or replace a rules-based docketing service. You enter the date after calculating it from the applicable rules.

- Deadline tracking in MatterOS: https://thematteros.com/features/deadlines
- The Actions piece: https://thematteros.com/features/pillar_actions
- Docket-check prompts for Notion AI: https://thematteros.com/features/agent_docket
- Legal task and deadline management: https://thematteros.com/blog/legal-task-and-deadline-management
- MatterOS overview: https://thematteros.com/product


## FAQ

### What is a critical-dates register?

It is one list of the dates that would cause serious harm if missed, such as limitation dates and issued court dates, kept apart from ordinary tasks. Each row records the date, the triggering event, the basis of the calculation, who calculated and verified it, and the reminders.

### How do law firms avoid missing a statute of limitations?

They record every known date at intake, show the calculation and its basis, have a second person verify it, and keep reminders on at least two independent surfaces. They review upcoming dates weekly. Check the rules and your insurer's guidance for your jurisdiction.

### Do I need two separate calendar systems?

Redundancy is widely recommended, meaning independent surfaces that do not fail together. Some sources say insurers require two systems, but we could not confirm that, so check your own insurer's terms. A register plus a separate calendar plus a periodic reviewed list is a practical minimum.

### Can Notion calculate limitation dates?

No. Notion and MatterOS store dates and surface them in views; they do not apply limitation rules. Calculate the date from the applicable law, have it verified, and enter it with its basis. Use a rules-based docketing service where your practice area needs one.

### What are 90, 30 and 7 day reminders?

They are graduated reminders set that many days before a deadline, used in some published checklist templates as a practice example. They are not a legal rule. Choose intervals that give you enough time to do the work the date requires.

## Sources

- [Lawyers Mutual NC: Missed deadlines are top cause of legal malpractice](https://www.lawyersmutualnc.com/blog/missed-deadlines-are-top-cause-of-legal-malpractice)
- [Lawyers Mutual NC: Common litigation errors, missed deadlines](https://lawyersmutualnc.com/risk-management-resources/articles/common-litigation-errors-missed-deadlines)
- [LawToolBox: Reduces the risk of missed deadlines (2025)](https://lawtoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/LawToolBox-Reduces-the-Risk-of-Missed-Deadlines-and-Legal-Malpractice-2025.pdf)
- [ALPS: sample forms and checklists](https://alpsinsurance.com/resources/sample-forms-and-checklists)
- [Tallyfy: law firm client onboarding template](https://tallyfy.com/templates/procedures/law-firm-client-onboarding/)