How long after a crime has taken place does the distric attorney have before they can issue a warrant of arrest?

Answer 1

It varies greatly, the police reserve the right to arrest you when ever they want if there is a warrant out for your arrest. It depends on the severity of the crime committed that resulted in the warrent. If you've evaded them or done something pretty severe then they will most likely come to your house and cuff you with in a week. other than that they will usually wait for you to turn your self in. Mind you I'm answering this from personal experience. I am not a lawyer nor do i have a degree in law. if there is a warrant out for your arrest you should turn your self in just to get it over with, you will eventually have to deal with it.

Answer 2

This period of time is called the statute of limitations. For some crimes, such as murder or other capital felonies, there is no statute. For lesser misdemeanors, the statute varies from state to state.

Answer 3

There is no real set time frame that the police have to work within to arrest someone for a reported crime. Once the police conduct an investigation and they have narrowed down to one suspect it is up to them to obtain the evidence to get an arrest warrant. Once the warrant for a suspect has been administered it does not go away, ever. That charge is still outstanding on the individual who's name it is in and that person can be arrested any time for the crimes they have committed in the past.

For example, You can commit a crime be suspected and have a warrant issued for your arrest but have never been tracked down or arrested. You can then proceed to live under the radar for 5 years (just as an example) but then are stopped for a minor traffic violation, once they run your name through the computer they look for any outstanding warrants. You will then be arrested on site and brought to face the charges that were laid against you when the warrant was issued.

Also, You can only be held for a maximum of 72 hours on suspicion (which is questioning or the police think you may be a suspect but can not get the evidence or a warrant to charge you). After you have been charged individual laws (in some countries and states/provinces) state there is a maximum amount of time for the prosecution to state their case against you. In other words, they can't just keep you in jail without taking you to trial. This is called the rights to due process and the right to a speed/timely trial.

Answer 4

As long as it takes for the officer(s) to write up an affidavit and apply for the warrant.

Answer 5

It's not the length of time after the offense has occurred, it is the length of time after the defendant has been identified that matters. That time is known as the Statute of Limitations.