More Time for Victims Could Mean More Trouble for Defendants
The statute of limitations for a victim to report domestic violence may be extended from one year to five. This is problematic.
Under SB 273, victims of domestic violence may get up to five years to report their alleged incident, meaning defendants have more to lose. Why? Let’s be honest, our memory isn’t perfect, especially when required to recall the details of an alleged situation that occurred five years ago.
Thus, if you’re involved in an alleged domestic violence matter that occurred on or after January 1, 2020, the accuser may get until 2025 to press charges. This bill poses further issues because it gives the prosecution more time to build their case. So, if you are arrested for domestic violence in 2020, you may have to wait up to 5 years for your trial.
Although the bill received unanimous support from both the California Assembly and Senate in 2019, it needs a signature from Governor Gavin Newsom. Due to COVID-19 and other pressing issues happening this year, it may take a while for Gov. Newsom to sign SB 273 if he chooses to at all.
How We Can Help
Our Fresno domestic violence defense attorney is equipped with the hard-hitting legal arsenal you need to fight your accusation. What people don’t realize is that domestic violence allegations aren’t always true and are often exaggerated. Sometimes a spiteful ex wants revenge for a divorce they didn’t agree to, or your partner perceived your behavior out of it’s intended context.
Regardless of the matter, one thing is true: SB 273 can pose harmful threats to defendants accused of domestic violence. No one deserves to get charged for something that happened up to five years ago; that’s unfair. Thus, as soon as you’re aware of your charge, it’s imperative to contact our defense lawyer at (559) 484-2112 as soon as possible so we can begin devising an aggressive strategy on your behalf.
