Peremption Definition: A period of time fixed by law for the existence of a right. Related Terms: Prescription In Yen v. Avoyelles Parish Police Jury, Madam Justice Shannon Gremillion of the Court of Appeal of Louisiana, a civil law jurisdiction, wrote of the classic distinction between prescription and peremption:"Real consequences flow from the distinction between prescription and peremption. Liberative prescription is defined ... as a mode of barring of actions as a result of inaction for a period of time."Peremption, on the other hand, is a period of time fixed by law for the existence of a right. Unless timely exercised, the right is extinguished upon the expiration of the peremptive period."In other words, prescription sets a time limit within which one is allowed to seek enforcement of a right; peremption completely does away with the right."Prescription under the Civil Code may be suspended, or interrupted by the filing of suit against a solidary obligor or a joint tortfeasor or by acknowledgment of the obligee's right.... Peremption is not subject to suspension or interruption."Prescription, once it has tolled, can be renounced. Peremption cannot be renounced." REFERENCES: Yen v. Avoyelles Parish Police Jury, 5 So. 3d 1002 (2009) Categories & Topics: Civil Law Dictionary Civil Litigation & Evidence Law Dictionary Find you are constantly looking up definitions? Try our search provider (works in most modern browsers) If you find an error or omission in Duhaime's Legal Dictionary, or if you have legal term suggestion, we'd love to hear from you!