Maryland Courts first look to Maryland law to decide if state or Federal law applies to a request to compel arbitration. The answer is that a typical statute of limitations probably does not apply to an arbitration.I say "probably" because there is a split of authority. An arbitration proceeding must be commenced within the general limitations period set forth in the Maryland Code. This Note explains how a party may enforce an arbitration award in Maryland state or federal court. In Maryland, for most civil actions you have a period of three years after the act which caused you the harm to file a lawsuit. Contracting parties recognize that a lawsuit in court for breach of contract must generally be commenced before the statute of limitations had expired. '" A civil action at law would be "filed in a court of law and the remedy would be monetary damages. The Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (RUAA) is a model statute that twenty two states have adopted to govern arbitrations. Under the discovery rule, an action accrues on the date when the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known of the negligence and the harm that ensued.