Damico & Stockstill, Attorneys at Law

80 Years Of Combined Trial Experience

What is Louisiana’s criminal statute of limitations?

On Behalf of | Aug 18, 2015 | Firm News, Murder & Other Homicide Crimes |

If you are accused of a crime, it is imperative that you take legal action in your defense. One of the best ways to do this is to enlist the aid of an attorney who is familiar with criminal defense in your state. The experience and expertise brought by a legal professional can help you take advantage of many different defense options in order to have your charges reduced, have your charges dropped or be acquitted if the case goes to trial.

While there are many different defense options that you may wish to employ depending on the crime of which you are accused, the first thing you may wish to discuss with an attorney is the statute of limitations for your case. The statute of limitations in Louisiana varies greatly for different felonies, depending on what the exact charges are. For some homicide charges, there is no statute of limitations. For others, the statute of limitations may be as many as six years.

The reason that knowing the statute of limitations for your alleged crime is so important is because you may not have to worry about your defense at all. When a statute of limitations expires, it is very difficult for a victim to file a lawsuit or bring charges against an individual. This means that if years have passed since the crime you are accused of committing occurred, you may be able to use the statute of limitations to your advantage.

Of course, you cannot rely on the statute of limitations for all of your legal defense needs. In many cases, the only time you will actually need legal defense is when the statute of limitations has not expired, so it is important to act quickly if you are accused of a crime. Consulting with a defense attorney can help you build a stronger case for your defense.

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