{"id":7559,"date":"2020-10-16T11:57:21","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T11:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/?p=7559"},"modified":"2020-10-16T12:46:41","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T12:46:41","slug":"what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the criminal statutes of limitations in California?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\ntable td {\n    border: 1px solid;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p>The criminal statute of limitations is a period set by California state law regarding the time-limit for the prosecution to sue and the time-period when suspects can be charged with a crime. Generally, the statute of limitations is longer for violent crimes. Criminal laws typically consider expected penalties and sentencing to determine time limitation for crimes not specifically listed in the criminal statutes of limitation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Six years for felonies punishable by at least eight years in prison;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three\u00a0 years for felonies and crimes that result in imprisonment; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One year for misdemeanors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Certain crimes will have no limitation for when a case can be filed. If you need help determining the applicable statute of limitations for a criminal case, contact a <b>local criminal defense attorney <\/b>as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Purpose_of_Time_Limits\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purpose of Time Limits<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662ae85abf457\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662ae85abf457\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california\/#Purpose_of_Time_Limits\" title=\"Purpose of Time Limits\">Purpose of Time Limits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california\/#California_Statute_of_Limitations\" title=\"California Statute of Limitations\">California Statute of Limitations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california\/#Starting_and_Tolling_the_Clock\" title=\"Starting and Tolling the Clock\">Starting and Tolling the Clock<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/what-are-the-criminal-statutes-of-limitations-in-california\/#Getting_a_Defense_Attorney_is_Vital\" title=\"Getting a Defense Attorney is Vital\">Getting a Defense Attorney is Vital<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-7564 \" src=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/criminal-statutes-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"criminal statutes\" width=\"353\" height=\"235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/criminal-statutes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/criminal-statutes.jpg 626w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 353px) 100vw, 353px\" \/> Once the period of limitation is passed, lawsuits can no longer be filed for that crime. This is an element of criminal law that\u2019s meant to keep the criminal justice system fair and protect the defendants from the consequences of delayed hearings and prosecution. For example, if you were accused of a crime that happened years ago, you may have lost receipts, paperwork, or other documents that will help your defense and prove your innocence.<\/p>\n<p>While prosecutors still have to prove to court beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed the crime you were being charged for, it would be prejudicial against the defendant to have limited defense or no way of countering the claims of a prosecutor in a criminal case due to evidence being lost with time.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"California_Statute_of_Limitations\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">California Statute of Limitations<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The statute of limitations for various criminal offenses according to<a href=\"https:\/\/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov\/faces\/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=799.&amp;lawCode=PEN\">California Penal Code 799<\/a>(PC 799)\u00a0 are listed in the table below. The limitations period for wobbler offenses (crimes which can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor) depends on which type the prosecution charges the criminal offense as. Check your state laws or speak with a <b>criminal defense lawyer<\/b> to learn about the limitations applicable for crimes not listed here.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Statute of Limitations<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Crimes &amp; Offenses<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Felony sex offenses against a child<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failure to register as a sex offender<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Felony charges punishable by imprisonment for 8 years or more<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elder abuse<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crimes against dependent adults<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic-violence and bodily injury to spouse or cohabitant<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Felony fraud<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Embezzlement or theft against elderly or dependent adults<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Misconduct by public officials<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Felony offenses<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual crimes against a patient by a physician or therapist<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 year<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Misdemeanors<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td rowspan=\"5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No Statute of Limitations<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aggravated sexual assault of a child<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crimes punishable by death or life sentences<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Embezzlement of Public Money<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First-degree murder, homicide, and manslaughter<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rape involving force or violence<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Starting_and_Tolling_the_Clock\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting and Tolling the Clock<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The statutory period doesn\u2019t begin until the crime occurs or is discovered. California\u2019s discovery rule for determining the start of the statutory period is especially helpful if the victim may be too scared to report the offense (as in cases of sex-abuse or sex-crime), or was unable to immediately recognize the offense (as in child sexual abuse cases).<\/p>\n<p>The statute may also be tolled or paused under certain circumstances. For example, if the perpetrator goes into hiding or out of the state\u2019s jurisdiction, the statute tolls until they reenter the state. This prevents intentional hiding or fleeing of criminals to wait out the clock and avoid legal action against crimes they could have been charged with.<\/p>\n<p>Besides, certain limitations may be tolled or eliminated since the circumstances around the crime qualify as exceptions to the rule on statutory limitations.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rape cases involving minors that require DNA evidence may toll or eliminate the statutory period.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood sexual abuse or sex-crimes against a minor will have a statute of limitations until the victim turns 28.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_a_Defense_Attorney_is_Vital\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting a Defense Attorney is Vital<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are a lot of exceptions and considerations that make determining the statute of limitations for criminal cases difficult and confusing. Discussing your circumstances and the charges against you with <b>experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/\">criminal defense attorneys <\/a><\/b>will help you to more accurately determine the statute of limitations and how you can incorporate it into your defense. If you\u2019re facing criminal charges, call us at the <b>Law Offices of Marc Grossman, LLP,<\/b> and request a free consultation today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The criminal statute of limitations is a period set by California state law regarding the time-limit for the prosecution to sue and the time-period when suspects can be charged with a crime. Generally, the statute of limitations is longer for violent crimes. Criminal laws typically consider expected penalties and sentencing to determine time limitation for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7565,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7559"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7559"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7559\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wefight4you.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}