How long does it take for a defendants charges to be resolved?
It is impossible to predict. State cases can be delayed over a period of months as prosecutors and defense lawyers investigate the facts and law. If a case is not dismissed or settled, the case is set for trial. The date on which a case is set for trial depends in large part on the judge’s docket. There is no Speedy Trial Act in State criminal cases. In federal cases, a Speedy Trial Act exists and requires (with some exceptions) that a case be tried 70 days from when a person is arrested or an indictment is returned, whichever is later. Complex cases often require the defendant to waive his rights under the Speedy Trial Act so that the defense has sufficient time to investigate the case.
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