Being accused of criminal activity is a hard row to hoe. Of course, there are different types of criminal behavior to be considered. Sex crimes are always hard to face. You can lose your job if the news gets out. You can lose the faith that your loved ones have for you and your friends may start shunning you.
There is a statute of limitations for the prosecutor of your case to get the charge into court. To bring charges in a criminal court, not a civil court, the authorities must abide by the limits of time that the law has put into place.
This ensures that witnesses remember exactly what happened, evidence doesn’t disappear or disintegrate and that the case is handled in a timely manner.
In New Jersey, there is no statute of limitations for murder and manslaughter, but there are for sex crimes. If you commit murder, no matter how long ago it was, there is a chance that you can be charged at any time.
Bribery and other felonies have a seven-year limitation. For sex crimes, when the child is under 18 years of age, the state has five years after the child turns 18 to file a case for sexual assault, criminal sexual assault or endangering the welfare of a child.
Misdemeanors carry a one-year limitation, however there are few sex crimes that are misdemeanors.
If you are charged with a sexual crime, it may be time to call in an attorney who will have your best interests in mind. Many times, the charges can be mitigated or dropped due to a tainted evidence trail or witnesses who are foggy on their details.
Source: FindLaw, “New Jersey Criminal Statute of Limitations Laws,” accessed June 26, 2015