What is the Statute of Limitations to Issue a Warrant for a Bad Check?
Full Question:
Answer:
The answer will depend on the charges brought and whwen the charges were filed, but it is likely past the criminal statute of limitations to file a charge for a worthless check. We suggest you contact a local criminal attorney who can review all the facts and documents involved. A warrant doesn’t expire. It may be possible to have the warrant recalled. Please see the following KS statutes to determine applicability:
21-3707. Giving a worthless check. (a) Giving a worthless check is the making, drawing, issuing or delivering or causing or directing the making, drawing, issuing or delivering of any check, order or draft on any bank, credit union, savings and loan association or depository for the payment of money or its equivalent with intent to defraud and knowing, at the time of the making, drawing, issuing or delivering of such check, order or draft, that the maker or drawer has no deposit in or credits with the drawee or has not sufficient funds in, or credits with, the drawee for the payment of such check, order or draft in full upon its presentation.
In any prosecution against the maker or drawer of a check, (b) order or draft payment, of which has been refused by the drawee on account of insufficient funds, the making, drawing, issuing or delivering of such check shall be prima facie evidence of intent to defraud and of knowledge of insufficient funds in, or on deposit with, the drawee: (1) Unless the maker or drawer pays the holder thereof the amount due thereon and a service charge not exceeding $30 for each check, within seven days after notice has been given to the maker or drawer that such check, draft or order has not been paid by the drawee. As used in this section, "notice" includes oral or written notice to the person entitled thereto. Written notice shall be presumed to have been given when deposited as restricted matter in the United States mail, addressed to the person to be given notice at such person's address as it appears on such check, draft or order; or (2) if a postdated date is placed on the check, order or draft without the knowledge or consent of the payee.
In addition to all other costs and fees allowed by law, each (c) prosecuting attorney who takes any action under the provisions of this section may collect from the issuer in such action an administrative handling cost, except in cases filed in a court of appropriate jurisdiction. The cost shall not exceed $10 for each check. If the issuer of the check is convicted in district court, the administrative handling costs may be assessed as part of the court costs in the matter. The moneys collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into a trust fund which shall be administered by the board of county commissioners. The funds shall be expended only with the approval of the board of county commissioners, but may be used to help fund the normal operating expenses of the county or district attorney's office.
It shall not be a defense to a prosecution under this section (d) that the check, draft or order upon which such prosecution is based:
Was postdated, unless such check, draft or order was presented (1) for payment prior to the postdated date; or
was given to a payee who had knowledge or had been informed, (2) when the payee accepted such check, draft or order, that the maker did not have sufficient funds in the hands of the drawee to pay such check, draft or order upon presentation, unless such check, draft or order was presented for payment prior to the date the maker informed the payee there would be sufficient funds.
Giving a worthless check is a severity level 7, (e) (1) (A) nonperson felony if the check, draft or order is drawn for $25,000 or more.
Giving a worthless check more than once within a seven-day (B) period is a severity level 7, nonperson felony, if the combined total of the checks, drafts or orders is $25,000 or more.
Giving a worthless check is a severity level 9, nonperson (2) (A) felony if the check, draft or order is drawn for at least $1,000 but less than $25,000.
Giving a worthless check more than once within a seven-day (B) period is a severity level 9, nonperson felony, if the combined total of the checks, drafts or orders is at least $1,000 but less than $25,000.
Giving a worthless check is a class A nonperson misdemeanor if (3) the check, draft or order is drawn for less than $1,000.
Giving a worthless check, draft or order drawn for less than (4) $1,000 is a severity level 9, nonperson felony if committed by a person who has, within five years immediately preceding commission of the crime, been convicted of giving a worthless check two or more times.
21-3106. Time limitations for commencement of prosecutions.
(1) A prosecution for murder, terrorism or illegal use of weapons of mass destruction may be commenced at any time.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (5), a prosecution for any crime must be commenced within 10 years after its commission if the victim is the Kansas public employees retirement system.
(3)(a) Except as provided in subsection (5), a prosecution for a sexually violent offense as defined in K.S.A. 22-3717, and amendments thereto, must be commenced within the limitation of time provided by the law pertaining to such offense or one year from the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by DNA testing, whichever is later.
(b) For purposes of this section, "DNA" means deoxyribonucleic acid.
(4) Except as provided by subsection (5), a prosecution for any crime, as defined in K.S.A. 21-3105, and amendments thereto, not governed by subsections (1), (2) or (3) must be commenced within five years after it is committed.
(5) The period within which a prosecution must be commenced shall not include any period in which:
(a) The accused is absent from the state;
(b) the accused is concealed within the state so that process cannot be served upon the accused;
(c) the fact of the crime is concealed;
(d) a prosecution is pending against the defendant for the same conduct, even if the indictment or information which commences the prosecution is quashed or the proceedings thereon are set aside, or are reversed on appeal;
(e) an administrative agency is restrained by court order from investigating or otherwise proceeding on a matter before it as to any criminal conduct defined as a violation of any of the provisions of article 41 of chapter 25 and article 2 of chapter 46 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated which may be discovered as a result thereof regardless of who obtains the order of restraint; or
(f) whether or not the fact of the crime is concealed by the active act or conduct of the accused, there is substantially competent evidence to believe two or more of the following factors are present: (i) The victim was a child under 15 years of age at the time of the crime; (ii) the victim was of such age or intelligence that the victim was unable to determine that the acts constituted a crime; (iii) the victim was prevented by a parent or other legal authority from making known to law enforcement authorities the fact of the crime whether or not the parent or other legal authority is the accused; and (iv) there is substantially competent expert testimony indicating the victim psychologically repressed such witness' memory of the fact of the crime, and in the expert's professional opinion the recall of such memory is accurate and free of undue manipulation, and substantial corroborating evidence can be produced in support of the allegations contained in the complaint or information but in no event may a prosecution be commenced as provided in this section later than the date the victim turns 28 years of age. Corroborating evidence may include, but is not limited to, evidence the defendant committed similar acts against other persons or evidence of contemporaneous physical manifestations of the crime. "Parent or other legal authority" shall include but not be limited to natural and stepparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings.
(6) An offense is committed either when every element occurs, or, if a legislative purpose to prohibit a continuing offense plainly appears, at the time when the course of conduct or the defendant's complicity therein is terminated. Time starts to run on the day after the offense is committed.
(7) A prosecution is commenced when a complaint or information is filed, or an indictment returned, and a warrant thereon is delivered to the sheriff or other officer for execution. No such prosecution shall be deemed to have been commenced if the warrant so issued is not executed without unreasonable delay.
21-3106. Time limitations for commencement of prosecutions. **Update Notice: This section has been repealed by CHAPTER 136 OF 2010
(1) A prosecution for murder, terrorism or illegal use of weapons of mass destruction may be commenced at any time.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (5), a prosecution for any crime must be commenced within 10 years after its commission if the victim is the Kansas public employees retirement system.
(3)(a) Except as provided in subsection (5), a prosecution for a sexually violent offense as defined in K.S.A. 22-3717, and amendments thereto, must be commenced within the limitation of time provided by the law pertaining to such offense or one year from the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by DNA testing, whichever is later.
(b) For purposes of this section, "DNA" means deoxyribonucleic acid.
(4) Except as provided by subsection (5), a prosecution for any crime, as defined in K.S.A. 21-3105, and amendments thereto, not governed by subsections (1), (2) or (3) must be commenced within five years after it is committed.
(5) The period within which a prosecution must be commenced shall not include any period in which:
(a) The accused is absent from the state;
(b) the accused is concealed within the state so that process cannot be served upon the accused;
(c) the fact of the crime is concealed;
(d) a prosecution is pending against the defendant for the same conduct, even if the indictment or information which commences the prosecution is quashed or the proceedings thereon are set aside, or are reversed on appeal;
(e) an administrative agency is restrained by court order from investigating or otherwise proceeding on a matter before it as to any criminal conduct defined as a violation of any of the provisions of article 41 of chapter 25 and article 2 of chapter 46 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated which may be discovered as a result thereof regardless of who obtains the order of restraint; or
(f) whether or not the fact of the crime is concealed by the active act or conduct of the accused, there is substantially competent evidence to believe two or more of the following factors are present: (i) The victim was a child under 15 years of age at the time of the crime; (ii) the victim was of such age or intelligence that the victim was unable to determine that the acts constituted a crime; (iii) the victim was prevented by a parent or other legal authority from making known to law enforcement authorities the fact of the crime whether or not the parent or other legal authority is the accused; and (iv) there is substantially competent expert testimony indicating the victim psychologically repressed such witness' memory of the fact of the crime, and in the expert's professional opinion the recall of such memory is accurate and free of undue manipulation, and substantial corroborating evidence can be produced in support of the allegations contained in the complaint or information but in no event may a prosecution be commenced as provided in this section later than the date the victim turns 28 years of age. Corroborating evidence may include, but is not limited to, evidence the defendant committed similar acts against other persons or evidence of contemporaneous physical manifestations of the crime. "Parent or other legal authority" shall include but not be limited to natural and stepparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or siblings.
(6) An offense is committed either when every element occurs, or, if a legislative purpose to prohibit a continuing offense plainly appears, at the time when the course of conduct or the defendant's complicity therein is terminated. Time starts to run on the day after the offense is committed.
(7) A prosecution is commenced when a complaint or information is filed, or an indictment returned, and a warrant thereon is delivered to the sheriff or other officer for execution. No such prosecution shall be deemed to have been commenced if the warrant so issued is not executed without unreasonable delay.