Kuwait Court of Cassation principle number 2368

Extinction of proceedings upon the passage of three years from the last valid procedural step therein. This period is an extinctive limitation period for the proceedings themselves. This period is subject to suspension and interruption. Suspension occurs upon the existence of a material or legal impediment preventing the taking of steps to reactivate the proceedings and continue their progress. - Both criminal and civil liability arising from a single act, and the liability action being brought before the civil court. The implication thereof. Bringing the criminal action, whether before the civil action is brought or while it is proceeding, requires a stay of the civil action until the criminal action is finally determined. This relates to public policy, so the parties are precluded from taking any step to bring the civil proceedings back before the court before this legal impediment ceases. The period during which the criminal action remained pending until it was extinguished by a final judgment therein or by any ground of extinction is not counted toward the period for extinction of proceedings, and from this date the period for extinction of proceedings in the civil action is calculated.