Denton Criminal Lawyer

Statutes of Limitation

Texas, like many other states, has statutes of limitation regarding various felony crimes that an individual can commit. A statute of limitation restricts the ability of officers to charge an individual with a crime. The officers, if a statute of limitation exists, must file a charge against an individual within a certain amount of time. This time frame varies depending on the crime committed.

The majority of felonies in the state of Texas have a 3 year statute of limitations. There are exceptions to the rule though. Some crimes, such as kidnapping within the state, have a 5 year statute of limitation. Other crimes with a 5 year statute of limitation include injury to a child that is not a 1st degree felony and abandoning or endangering a child. Many other crimes have a 10 year statute of limitation.

Sexual offenses, involving either minors or adults, are treated differently than other felonies. If the charge is sexual assault, or rape, against an adult, there is a 10 year statute of limitation if there is no DNA evidence present. Sexual offenses committed against a minor have a 10 year statute of limitations once the individual turns 18. Basically, a child that is abused has until they turn 28, or so, to report the crime and the criminal to the police.

DNA evidence is being used in many cases to solve the mystery. If DNA is being used to identify suspects, the state, in many cases, has extended the statute of limitation. This gives the law enforcement agencies more time to find the perpetrator of a crime and charge them.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime and is in need of a criminal defense attorney, call the Denton criminal defense lawyers of Alexander & Associates at 972-420-6560.