CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
TITLE 1. CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CHAPTER 12. LIMITATION
This article was amended by the 84th Legislature. Pending publication of the current statutes, see H.B. 10 and H.B. 189, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, for amendments affecting this section.
Art. 12.01. FELONIES. Except as provided in Article 12.03, felony indictments may be presented within these limits, and not afterward:
(1) no limitation:
(A) murder and manslaughter;
(B) sexual assault under Section 22.011(a)(2), Penal Code, or aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021(a)(1)(B), Penal Code;
(C) sexual assault, if during the investigation of the offense biological matter is collected and subjected to forensic DNA testing and the testing results show that the matter does not match the victim or any other person whose identity is readily ascertained;
(D) continuous sexual abuse of young child or children under Section 21.02, Penal Code;
(E) indecency with a child under Section 21.11, Penal Code;
(F) an offense involving leaving the scene of an accident under Section 550.021, Transportation Code, if the accident resulted in the death of a person;
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code; or
(H) continuous trafficking of persons under Section 20A.03, Penal Code;
(2) ten years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) theft of any estate, real, personal or mixed, by an executor, administrator, guardian or trustee, with intent to defraud any creditor, heir, legatee, ward, distributee, beneficiary or settlor of a trust interested in such estate;
(B) theft by a public servant of government property over which he exercises control in his official capacity;
(C) forgery or the uttering, using or passing of forged instruments;
(D) injury to an elderly or disabled individual punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04, Penal Code;
(E) sexual assault, except as provided by Subdivision (1);
(F) arson;
(G) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(1), (2), (3), or (4), Penal Code; or
(H) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(1), Penal Code;
(3) seven years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) misapplication of fiduciary property or property of a financial institution;
(B) securing execution of document by deception;
(C) a felony violation under Chapter 162, Tax Code;
(D) false statement to obtain property or credit under Section 32.32, Penal Code;
(E) money laundering;
(F) credit card or debit card abuse under Section 32.31, Penal Code;
(G) fraudulent use or possession of identifying information under Section 32.51, Penal Code;
(H) Medicaid fraud under Section 35A.02, Penal Code; or
(I) bigamy under Section 25.01, Penal Code, except as provided by Subdivision (6);
(4) five years from the date of the commission of the offense:
(A) theft or robbery;
(B) except as provided by Subdivision (5), kidnapping or burglary;
(C) injury to an elderly or disabled individual that is not punishable as a felony of the first degree under Section 22.04, Penal Code;
(D) abandoning or endangering a child; or
(E) insurance fraud;
(5) if the investigation of the offense shows that the victim is younger than 17 years of age at the time the offense is committed, 20 years from the 18th birthday of the victim of one of the following offenses:
(A) sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25, Penal Code;
(B) aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; or
(C) burglary under Section 30.02, Penal Code, if the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section and the defendant committed the offense with the intent to commit an offense described by Subdivision (1)(B) or (D) of this article or Paragraph (B) of this subdivision;
(6) ten years from the 18th birthday of the victim of the offense:
(A) trafficking of persons under Section 20A.02(a)(5) or (6), Penal Code;
(B) injury to a child under Section 22.04, Penal Code;
(C) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05(a)(2), Penal Code; or
(D) bigamy under Section 25.01, Penal Code, if the investigation of the offense shows that the person, other than the legal spouse of the defendant, whom the defendant marries or purports to marry or with whom the defendant lives under the appearance of being married is younger than 18 years of age at the time the offense is committed; or
(7) three years from the date of the commission of the offense: all other felonies.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 975, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974; Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 478, ch. 203, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.
Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 413, ch. 85, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 5317, ch. 977, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 330, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1985; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 716, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 565, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 476, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 740, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 39, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1285, Sec. 33, eff. Sept. 1, 2000; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 12, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1479, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1482, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 371, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 5.001, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1162 (H.B. 3376), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 285 (H.B. 716), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 1.03, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 640 (H.B. 887), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 841 (H.B. 959), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 6.001, eff. September 1, 2009.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1227 (S.B. 1495), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 24), Sec. 2.03, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 122 (H.B. 3000), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 222 (H.B. 253), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 620 (S.B. 688), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 3.003, eff. September 1, 2013.
Art. 12.02. MISDEMEANORS. (a) An indictment or information for any Class A or Class B misdemeanor may be presented within two years from the date of the commission of the offense, and not afterward.
(b) A complaint or information for any Class C misdemeanor may be presented within two years from the date of the commission of the offense, and not afterward.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 975, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 472 (S.B. 410), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.
Art. 12.03. AGGRAVATED OFFENSES, ATTEMPT, CONSPIRACY, SOLICITATION, ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. (a) The limitation period for criminal attempt is the same as that of the offense attempted.
(b) The limitation period for criminal conspiracy or organized criminal activity is the same as that of the most serious offense that is the object of the conspiracy or the organized criminal activity.
(c) The limitation period for criminal solicitation is the same as that of the felony solicited.
(d) Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, any offense that bears the title "aggravated" shall carry the same limitation period as the primary crime.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 975, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1133, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Subsec. (d) amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 740, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Art. 12.04. COMPUTATION. The day on which the offense was committed and the day on which the indictment or information is presented shall be excluded from the computation of time.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 976, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Art. 12.05. ABSENCE FROM STATE AND TIME OF PENDENCY OF INDICTMENT, ETC., NOT COMPUTED. (a) The time during which the accused is absent from the state shall not be computed in the period of limitation.
(b) The time during the pendency of an indictment, information, or complaint shall not be computed in the period of limitation.
(c) The term "during the pendency," as used herein, means that period of time beginning with the day the indictment, information, or complaint is filed in a court of competent jurisdiction, and ending with the day such accusation is, by an order of a trial court having jurisdiction thereof, determined to be invalid for any reason.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 976, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Art. 12.06. AN INDICTMENT IS "PRESENTED," WHEN. An indictment is considered as "presented" when it has been duly acted upon by the grand jury and received by the court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 976, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
Art. 12.07. AN INFORMATION IS "PRESENTED," WHEN. An information is considered as "presented," when it has been filed by the proper officer in the proper court.
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 976, ch. 399, Sec. 2(B), eff. Jan. 1, 1974.
